Shakeology Chia Pudding

I think being cold hurts.

Hurts like being punched all over. Each November I kiss the feeling in my feet goodbye until March, and grouse about how unfair and awful the winter is. I seek solace in one of three places: the shower, my car, and underneath my electric blanket. I can only imagine what might happen if I lived north of the Red River...

For my birthday, my sister was moved to sent me a tank top she saw at Old Navy. I modeled it for her in this picture:

When winter rolls around, about the last thing I want to do is drink a giant, frosty Shakeology for breakfast.

There is a time and place for an icy Shakeology. Winter in Texas is not one of them.

However, I am committed to having my healthiest meal of the day every day (six years running!), so when I discovered the meal I'm about to share with you, I was ecstatic.

It's Shakeology Chia Pudding.

But first! A primer on chia seeds.

Perhaps chia rings a bell? Perhaps you remember that they used to be "pets"?

These are the same chia seeds. But now we know that, in addition to an interesting conversation piece on your mantel, they are also a nutritional powerhouse!

Here are the stats:

Chia seeds are rich in fiber, omega-3 fats, protein, vitamins and minerals such as 

Dietary fiber (11g – 42% recommended daily value)
Protein (4.4g – 9% RDV)
Omega-3 fatty acids (4915 mg)
Omega-6 fatty acids (1620 mg)
Calcium (77 mg – 18% RDV)
Copper (0.1 mg – 3% RDV)
Phosphorus (265 mg – 27% RDV)
Potassium (44.8 mg – 1% RDV)
Zinc (1.0 mg – 7% RDV)

Chia also contains essential fatty acids alpha-linolenic and linoleic acid, mucin, strontium, Vitamins A, B, E, and D, and minerals including sulphur, iron, iodine, magnesium, manganese, niacin, thiamine, and they are a rich source of anti-oxidants.

Sounds like a good way to start the day to me!

You can get chia seeds at virtually any grocery store, as they have become really popular. You can sprinkle them on salads and in smoothies, but it's important to know that chia seeds soak up liquid and expand. The best way to use them (particularly in the pudding I'm sharing today) is to soak them for at least 20 minutes, but preferably overnight.

Here's what we do: get a small mason jar and spoon in six tablespoons of dry chia seeds. Fill the mason jar with water to about 3/4 full. Let the seeds soak overnight in the fridge. They will stay fresh for about a week, and each chia pudding uses about one heaping tablespoon of the soaked seeds. I'd estimate that we get about 8-10 tablespoons of soaked seeds from the jar. Remembering to soak the seeds is the hardest thing about chia pudding...and that's not so hard, is it?

Okay, now to the good stuff. Shakeology chia pudding. What I love so much about this recipe is its versatility. If you like fruity, make it fruity. If you want chocolate pudding, make it chocolate. I'm going to give you the base recipe and some of my favorite variations. Here's what you need at the very least:

- 1 heaping TB soaked chia seeds

- 1 scoop Shakeology, any flavor

- Fruit, any kind (optional)

- Liquid (water, milk of any kind), amount varies

That's the bare minimum, but we tend to go nuts with this. Here's how I like to do it:

Apple Pumpkin Shakeology Chia Pudding

- 1 heaping TB soaked chia seeds

- 1 scoop vanilla Shakeology

- 1 diced apple (cooked by itself in microwave for 1:30)

- 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

- Cinnamon

- 1TB flax seeds

- 1 TB hemp seeds

- Water (mixed in slowly until I reach a pudding-y consistency)

- 3 TB walnuts on top

Oh...My mouth is watering thinking about it. I seriously think I need an intervention. Here's another one.

Chocolate Berry Shakeology Chia Pudding

- 1 heaping TB soaked chia seeds

- 1 scoop chocolate Shakeology

- 1 cup frozen strawberries and blueberries, thawed in microwave

- Cinnamon

- 1TB flax seeds

- 1 TB hemp seeds

- 1 TB cacao nibs

- Water (mixed in slowly until I reach a pudding-y consistency)

- 3 TB walnuts on top

Not only does it taste amazing, but it does not leave me feeling cold from the inside out. You have to try this! And if you're not already drinking ingesting the healthiest meal of the day, please do yourself (and us!) a favor by ordering a month's supply here. There's a 30-day money-back guarantee, so the only risk is that you'll come through a month a healthier person. 

Cheers!

Workout of the Day

P90X3 Decelerator

Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes

I'm wondering if you can do me a favor this Tuesday morning. It's a small favor, even though it's going to sound big. Here it is:

Can you commit to never, ever, ever buying salad dressing again?

I know, I know. Half of you have a scrunched up look on your face because you're wondering what you're going to put on your salads from now on, and the other half thought, "That's cool. I just won't eat salads anymore."

Here's the thing: you can make your own very delicious salad dressing in a matter of minutes that is free of preservatives, dyes, and yucky stuff you can't pronounce. Will it taste like the artery-clogging Hidden Valley Ranch that you love so much? No. Will it be just as good, plus about 14,000 times healthier for you? Yes.

You don't even need any special equipment. Do you have a bowl? You can mix dressing. If you want to get fancy, you can get a shaker cup designed for dressings, but if not, no biggie. You have a mason jar or something else with a lid? You're in business.

I learned about making salad dressing when we did the Ultimate Reset cleanse a year ago. Talk about some delicious dressings! I had no idea how simple it was to whip up your own salad dressing until then, and I've spent the last year experimenting and simplifying until I broke it down to this:

Simple Salad Dressing for the Laziest of Lazies (this means me about four times a week!)
Make your salad
Spray some olive oil on it (you can buy some very nifty spray olive oils at the store nowadays, or purchase your own mister and put olive oil)
Sprinkle about a tablespoon of red wine vinegar on it

VOILA! Surprisingly good dressing and it took about 1 minute.

Say hello to your new best friends!

BUT: Say it's Saturday night and you've got some friends coming over. You need something a little fancier than the old oil and vinegar concoction:

Creamy Garlic Dressing (from the Ultimate Reset)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 TB fresh lemon juice
2 TB chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 TB honey or agave nectar

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth. Makes 8-10 servings.

Basic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (you can also use balsamic vinegar here)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. honey or agave nectar
2 TB lemon juice
(optional) 2 tsp fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano, parsley, or dill

Mix all ingredients together in shaker cup or blender.

Worried about the extra fat in olive oil? Here's an oil-free, vegan dressing from Rip Esselstyn's Engine 2 Diet:

Beam Me Up, Scottie Dressing
3 TB balsamic vinegar
2 TB any mustard
1 TB agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup
Smidge of water.

Mix all ingredients together in a shaker cup or blender.

There you go! Four simple dressings that will keep you out of the fatty dressing aisle at the store. Try these out and let me know what you think!

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Workout of the Day

Asylum 2: Upper Elite

Ah...60 minutes of crushing the upper body. Asylum 2 is one of my all-time favorite programs. I've been struggling with my lower back for the past few weeks, but I think I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I was able to give this workout a very good effort -- probably 85-90%, which is better than I've been able to do for the past few weeks. Felt great! (May not feel so great tomorrow...)

Burritos, Chickens...But not chicken burritos

I want to tell you about a very good butternut squash and black bean burrito that I fixed for dinner the other night, but first: a chicken update.

In a bitter twist of chicken irony, Polly, the lone survivor of the massacre and former picker who was rehabilitated when I chucked a tennis ball at her, is being picked.

Ugh.

See that bald spot on the right bottom part of her backside?
Also, see that chicken on the right? I love how it looks like she's
about to take flight. In actuality it's the butt of another chicken.

Dear Readers, I ask you: when is enough enough? Should I give up my chicken dreams and sell the whole outfit coop, stock, and barrel? Because I just don't know what to do. NO ONE is earning their keep by laying any eggs around here. I CANNOT figure out who is doing the picking because I've never seen any of the four new chickens (who I call Natalie, Blair, Jo, and Tootie) be anything but scared of Polly because she is the queen bee and is rude to them (pecking at their heads and chasing them from the corn I throw on the ground, for example).

And even if I did see somebody pick at her I'm not sure I could pick the perp out of a lineup because:

Can YOU tell these birds apart?

I know it's all very entertaining but I just don't know if I can do it anymore. These girls better start laying some eggs STAT so I can remember why in the world I put up with this nonsense. 

And just so ya know? I did have to rub Vicks Vapor Rub on a chicken butt AGAIN the other night, and it didn't seem to do a dang bit of good. 

Let's move on to a happier topic: Butternut Squash and Black Bean Burritos.

We had an absolute bumper crop of butternut squash in our garden this year. It was fantastic! I planted seeds from a squash I bought at the store, and the plants went absolutely nutso. Do you know how expensive butternut squash is? You see it at the store and you're all, "Oh, 99 cents a pound! That's not so bad!" and then you roll over to the register and the sucker weighs 4.75 pounds and you pay almost five bucks for your squash! They are HEAVY. 

When someone in this house asks what veg we're having with dinner, it's a pretty safe bet it's going to be butternut squash in some form: roasted, mashed, soup, and now in a burrito. 

And this is after we've been eating the crop down for a few weeks!
Good thing that these squash last a good long time.

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and, (drum roll, please): I actually made it! This doesn't happen often. If you don't already follow me on Pinterest I suggest you do so: I pin fabulous, gorgeous-looking meals that I'm sure would be delicious if only I'd remember to make them. (Here is my Pinterest page, if you are so inclined: http://pinterest.com/sshobbs/boards/)

This recipe is courtesy of the vegan recipe blog Oh She Glows, which I was already aware of through Angela's Green Monster Movement site of delicious spinach smoothies. (That's right, I said spinach smoothies. Look into it!)

Since I have SO MUCH squash on hand, I was eager to try these babies out, and they did not disappoint. Drew liked them, and I'm sure Kate would have too if she hadn't been "in a mood." I even packed them in Drew's lunch the day after!

So, here's the recipe. Check out Angela's blog for many more great vegan recipes and pretty food. Enjoy!

Black Bean and Butternut Squash Burritos

Yield: 4 burritos or 3.5 cups of filling

Ingredients:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, cubed, & roasted
1/2 cup uncooked short grain brown rice (yields: 1.5 cups cooked)
1-2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
2 tsp ground cumin, or to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
One 15-oz can black beans (about 1.5-2 cups cooked), drained and rinsed
3/4 cup Daiya cheese
4 tortilla wraps (large or x-large)
Toppings of choice: (avocado, salsa, vegan sour cream, spinach/lettuce, cilantro, etc)

1. Preheat oven to 425F and line a large glass dish with tinfoil. Drizzle olive oil on squash and give a shake of salt and pepper. Coat with hands. Roast chopped butternut squash for 45 mins. or until tender.

2. Cook brown rice (for directions, see here)

3. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, add oil, onion, and minced garlic. Sautee for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Now add in salt and seasonings and stir well.

4. Add chopped red pepper, black beans, and cooked rice and sauté for another 10 mins. on low.

5. When b’nut squash is tender remove from oven and cool slightly. Add 1.5 cups of the cooked butternut squash to the skillet and stir well. You can mash the squash with a fork if some pieces are too large. Add Daiya cheese and heat another couple minutes.

6. Add bean filling to tortilla along with desired toppings. Wrap and serve. Leftover filling can be reheated the next day for lunch in a wrap or as a salad topper.

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Workout of the Day

Focus T25 Rip't Circuit

Why does a 25-minute program wear me out so bad? I suspect it's because Shaun T is some sort of evil genius.

Top 3 Pinterest Recipes I'm Not Cooking Right Now

After a rocky start with Pinterest, I'm now completely on board with that time-suck of a website. I pin and ogle, pin and ogle, again and again and again. My favorite place to pin is while waiting in the never-ending car line at the kids' school. Have you noticed that the pins on the mobile Pinterest seem much more interesting than the ones on the computer?

Here's the thing about Pinterest, though: do you ever actually go back and visit your own boards? Are you making the recipes that you've pinned to your food board?

I sure as heck don't!

But if I did, here's what I would fix:

Honey Crisp, Kiwi, Raspberry Salad



Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl with some vanilla yogurt. So easy...why haven't I done this? Oh yeah, because I don't visit my own boards!
P.S. Those don't look like Honey Crisp apples...seems to be Granny Smith from the looks of it.

Quinoa, Red Pepper, Cucumber Salad



This one's even got an official recipe. Maybe that's why I haven't fixed it.

No Bake Pumpkin Bites



Oh wait! I have made these...but only because I was the one who found the recipe and made it into a pin for Pinterest. Doesn't count!

And finally,

Sunflower Cupcakes



I know those aren't healthy, but they are adorable and my daughter has a birthday coming up this weekend. I just may need to break my streak and actually use one of my Pinterest pins.

Do you use Pinterest in the way it was intended?

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Workout of the Day

P90X Core Synergistics

Eggs in a pepper

The spring semester is always crazy at our house. Zach has baseball, softball, track, choir concerts, band concerts, awards ceremonies, banquets, prom, UIL events, and all other sorts of events to attend. So my weekly menu has to be somewhat flexible.

Earlier this week he had an event come up that caused a meal to be bumped later in the week, which left me to plan a dinner for myself on the fly (the kids got the standard breakfast burritos). I've been following a gal named Alyssia on Instagram who is doing a "100 Days of Clean Eating" challenge, and she posts some great recipes, and when I was wondering what I might have she posted a picture of an egg she baked in a pepper.

Since I have about eight peppers in my fridge from last week's co-op shop, I decided to try it out!

First I tried to cut the pepper in half down the center -- no dice. It wasn't a deep enough hole and I was sure the egg would fall out. So I threw that pepper in the broccoli/cauliflower container we keep in the fridge. I got out another pepper and just cut the top off. Perfect!

After salting and peppering the inside, I cracked the egg and slid it in the pepper. Looked good, but I thought I could fit another one in there, so I cracked another one.

I put the pepper in a pan and put a bit of water in the bottom to prevent scorching. Then I popped it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Here's what it looked like when it came out:

It was cool! I topped the pepper with salsa, feta cheese, and green onion. I cooked it just about right -- when I cut into it the pepper was tender and the egg was still a little runny, just how I like it. The taste was really good, although it was really watery from the pepper and the steam that had built up in the pepper. 

On the side I had some vegetable soup that I had whipped up to eat on for lunches this week, but this would be really good with some seasoned home fries. It's just a quick, easy meal that is nice and light! Try it!

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Workout of the Day

Les Mills Combat 60

We are in the recovery week of month one for P90X. We substitute Les Mills Combat for Kenpo because Combat is WAY cooler than Kenpo. 

Meatless Monday: Rip's Roasted Salad

I've been noticing lately how very few of the salads that we eat actually look like "salad." You know..."salad" as in mostly lettuce leaves and a few colorful veggies on top.

It turns out that salad can mean all sort of things. Yes, it usually means tons of veggies, but sometimes those veggies are ones you'd never think of adding to a salad.

Last week we had "Rip's Roasted Salad" from the Engine 2 cookbook, and it was tremendous. Despite the number of ingredients, it was really easy to fix, too. The combination of roasted Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, onions, and potatoes was so hearty, and it all mixed so well with the raw fresh red peppers, corn, and oranges. And just for fun there was a little bed of Romaine lettuce on the bottom, even though you can't really see it. Delicious! Try it soon.

Rip's Roasted Salad
Ingredients:
12 Brussels sprouts, cut in half
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
8 ounces new potatoes
1 onion, sliced into rounds
1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
1 can corn, rinsed (I prefer frozen or fresh)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 can mandarin oranges
Salad dressing of your choice

Directions:
For Roasting Vegetables:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the Brussels sprouts, cauliflower florets, potato halves and onion slices face down on one or more large sprayed baking sheets. Broil the vegetables until they are soft (15-20 minutes). Check frequently for burning. Allow the vegetables to cool to room temp.

For Assembling Salad:
Put the romaine lettuce pieces in a large bowl. Cover with the roasted vegetables. Top with the corn, bell pepper and mandarin oranges. Toss thoroughly with salad dressing of your choice.

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Workout of the Day

P90X Chest and Back

Kicking it old school! Zach and I decided to do a round of P90X since we haven't done a complete 3-month round of it in ages and ages. Chest and Back is still a killer workout, and my arms are feeling it!

Pear Oatmeal

I like to cook elaborate dinners, but breakfasts and lunches around here are pretty simple and repetitive. I generally have one of three things for breakfast: Shakeology, kale and eggs with toast, or oatmeal.

My oatmeal flavors vary depending on the season; summer sees a lot of fresh fruit and I like canned pumpkin all year long. Lately my favorite has been pear oatmeal. Do you eat many pears? I feel like I forgot about them for a few years, and then someone gave us a gift basket that included a few and I remembered how great they are.

Here is how I fix my super quick, super delicious pear oatmeal.

I start with regular rolled oats. The generic kind, as the brand with the crazy looking dude on the front is double the cost, for some reason.

Note that I use the regular old-fashioned oats, not the quick-cooking kind. The quick-cooking oats are just rolled oats that have been cut into smaller size, which in my opinion makes them have the consistency of paste. Yuck.

So, I take 1/2 cup of oats, and add 1 cup of water. Then I chop up half a pear (Zach gets the other half), and sprinkle about a tablespoon of flax on top.

Pop in the microwave for 2 minutes. When it comes out, I stir in a squeeze of honey (that's the technical term -- a squeeze), some raisins, and some skim or almond milk. At this point I have a choice to put either chopped walnuts (if available and if I feel like chopping nuts, which isn't often on both accounts) or some Grape Nuts on top. I love having something crunchy in my oatmeal, and we have been crazy for Grape Nuts ever since Rip Esselstyn endorsed them in the E2 cookbook.

Ocassionally I will also stir in 1/4 scoop of vanilla whey protein powder if I know I'm going to have a light protein day.

So yummy!

With a breakfast this quick, cheap, and delicious, there is really no excuse not to take 10 minutes for breakfast in the morning. It will keep you going all morning long!

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Workout of the Day

Asylum 2: X Trainer

Week 3. Is it possible that this workout is getting harder? Today we tried something new with our agility ladders, creating a ladder out of tape directly on our mat. Is this cheating a little bit in that you don't trip over your ladder? Yes. However, it also ensures that you don't waste precious time adjusting your ladder when you mess it up. You can go harder and faster, and I felt that this morning. Big time!

Shaun T is not messing around!

Clean popcorn

I am always on the lookout for healthy snacks for my kids. Like most kids, they are famished when they get home from school and need something small before dinner. Usually they split an apple and some raisins, or sometimes they split a Shakeology.

They love popcorn, but I have been hesitant about getting it for them a lot because even though popcorn is healthy, all that other goo they put inside is not.

The other day at the grocery store I used Fooducate to scan the bar code on Orville Redenbacher's "Natural" microwave popcorn, and here is what it said:

A C+! Too much saturated fat.

Next to all the microwave popcorn on the shelf, I saw plain old kernels in a jar. I scanned that, too:

Wow, an A-! Low in saturated fat, low in cholesterol, and more than 24% of your daily fiber. Plus it got high marks for being minimally processed.

Whoopee! But, um, how the heck do I cook popcorn if it doesn't come in a microwavable bag?

I'm getting on in years, but I guess I'm not so old that I remember how people popped popcorn before the handy invention of the microwavable bag. I had a vague idea that it could be popped in a pot on the stove, but I wasn't really sure how to go about it. Acquiring a popcorn popping gadget was out of the question, as I am running out of space for gadgets.

After scouring the Internet for 30 seconds (that's all the scouring it takes, apparently), I found out that you can use a plain brown paper sack to pop your own corn in the microwave. However, I saw several comments that they set the bag on fire using this method. I'd like to avoid that.

Other people commented, "Hey, why don't you just use a pot like the old days?" Sounded good to me.

All you need is a good size soup pot with a lid. Something like this:

It's cool if the lid is clear so you can watch the kernels explode, but it's not necessary.

I didn't get too scientific or anything...I just melted about a tablespoon of coconut oil in the bottom of the pan, threw in 1/3 cup of kernels, put the lid on slightly askew as per the Internet's instructions, and the three of us sat back to wait. It took about 5 minutes for the kernels to pop on the strove instead of the two minutes it usually takes in the microwave, but the time investment is worth it to shed the chemicals and goo.

In the interest of full disclosure, I melted a bit of butter and put it on top along with some salt. Truth be told I'd rather give my kids straight up butter than "buttery spread product"...at least I know it's cream and salt and that's it. Used sparingly, I don't think a bit of butter is going to put them on the road to obesity.

They thought the popcorn was great and watching the kernels pop was even better. I think it's a keeper.

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Chicken Update

The chickens are now outside full-time. They have figured out how to go down the plank to get outside, but not to get back up. 

Yesterday Kate ran breathlessly inside to declare that "NADINE HAS DIARRHEA!" I'm not sure how she knows which one is Nadine, but I'm glad she's concerned about her welfare. 

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Workout of the Day

Asylum 2: X Trainer

Meatless Monday: Plateful O'Veggies

Back a few years ago when we started trying to have a few meals here or there that didn't feature meat as the star attraction, I'd do this thing called "Veggie Night." It was pretty much how it sounds: a plate full of three or four kinds of veggies. I was always surprised at how filling, yet low-calorie those nights were!

If you're not much of a cook and/or new to the meatless thing, try Veggie Night. Pick a few veggies you like, make a ton of 'em, and load up your plate. See how it fills you up and makes you feel the next day.

Here's a sample menu:

- Mashed butternut squash (cut it in half and bake face-down in a 375-degree oven till soft)
- Steamed snap peas (buy them frozen and microwave them)
- Roasted new potatoes (cut them in quarters, sprinkle with olive oil and cook at the same time as the squash. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dill weed to serve.)

If you're feeling adventurous with greens, try this recipe (another favorite from the Ultimate Reset). We like it so much we brought it to Christmas Dinner last year!

Coconut Collard Greens

Ingredients
1½ tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
¼ yellow onion, diced
½ bunch collard greens, washed, stems removed, and cut into ½-inch strips
¼ cup coconut milk
⅛ tsp. Himalayan salt (optional)

Directions
Heat oil in large wok or pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until golden brown and very soft. Add collard greens and stir well. Add coconut milk and stir. Sauté another 10 minutes, or until greens are very tender. Add salt. Serves 1.

BONUS! When you fix this recipe you will have some leftover coconut milk. Save it! Within a day or two, bake a butternut squash or an acorn squash, scoop out the flesh and mix it with your leftover coconut milk and some nutmeg. Those three ingredients will create a knockout soup! 

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Workout of the Day

It's heeeeerrrree!!

A-2 day. We've had Asylum 2 in the house for a couple months now, but running training prevented us from tackling it straight away. Zach's recovered and we're ready to DO THIS! Day one was X-Trainer, and it was really fun! The workout was 49 minutes of agility training, and it went by really fast. I can't wait to see what the next 30 days are going to look like. 

Last night we were previewing the workout, and Kate said, "Hey, he (Shaun T) has the same bumps on his stomach like Mom does!"

Thanks, Kate! That's called a 6-pack. I appreciate you noticing! I'm going to go write this date down now. 

Meatless Monday: Butternut Squash and Kale

Today I'm posting a recipe that is a marriage of two things I've become obsessed with: butternut squash and kale.

My butternut squash obsession is easily understood. Aside from having to track down a hack saw to cut the thing, butternut squash is so yummy and versatile. If you're feeling lazy, just cut it in half and bake it face down in some water, then mash it up with some nutmeg. If you're feeling a little more adventurous, dice it and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cinnamon and roast it in the oven. Got all kinds of time on your hands? Turn it into a soup. Might I suggest butternut squash and apple soup?

But kale...how can you be obsessed with kale? Most people know it as the garnish that holds the fruit and vegetables at parties catered by hotels.

See it? It's that green, curly-looking lettuce under the cucumbers. Yup, it's edible! And not only is it edible, it's about the number one food you can get your hands on. 

It's high in fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin C, folic acid, vitamin B6, manganese, and potassium. It's a source of well-absorbed calcium, which prevents osteoporosis, and all of its antioxidants put together make it a major player in fighting cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. It's good stuff. 

It also tastes like really tough grass. Or so I thought the first few times I had it.

My neighbor Susie once told me that there is this thing called metabolic reformation, which is a phenomenon that occurs when you start eating super-healthy food. At first you don't like the taste of the healthy stuff and find it kind of disgusting. But when you keep eating it, and your body is happy about it, then you start craving that food. That is the only explanation for what happened with me and kale.

I always read how good it is for you, but I didn't start fixing kale regularly until the Ultimate Reset. We had kale in eggs, steamed kale, kale in salads, kale, kale, kale. With a side of kale. Once our three-week reset was over, I found myself really wanting to make myself kale and eggs for breakfast.

And ever since then I don't go a week without having kale and eggs, or steamed kale as a side for dinner, or kale in my Shakeology. (Note that I actually prefer spinach in my shake as it dissolves better. Kale makes for a "chewier" shake that I'm not necessarily a fan of, but Zach likes it so if he's making the shake that day, then I get kale. He even puts the stalks in!)

A couple weeks ago The Pioneer Woman featured a recipe on her site called Butternut Squash and Kale Quesadillas. I had never thought of that combination before, but I was ready to give it a shot. The first time I made this I went ahead and made the quesadillas, but it occurred to me that the cheese and tortillas were extraneous because the squash and kale made a great meal in and of itself. 

You could serve it with a side of cous cous or quinoa, or a crusty loaf of bread. This is a new favorite for me, for sure!

Here's how to make it (recipe adapted from Pioneer Woman's):

Butternut Squash and Kale

Ingredients
1/2 whole Butternut Squash, Peeled, Seeded, And Diced.
3 TB Olive Oil, divided use
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Black Pepper To Taste
1/4 teaspoon Chili Powder (more To Taste)
1 bunch Kale, Leaves Torn, Stalks Discarded

Preparation Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add squash and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chili powder. Cook for several minutes, turning gently with a spatula, until squash is deep golden brown and tender (but not falling apart.) Remove to a plate and set aside.

In the same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat and add in the kale. Toss it around with tongs and cook it for 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the cooked squash and gently toss together. Enjoy!

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Workout of the Day

P90X: YogaX

After running 50 miles on Saturday, Zach determined that a recovery week is in order. 

More on his race later, but suffice it to say that he made it within his goal time, and it was a pretty crazy experience. I was honored to have been there to see him do it.

Meatless Monday: Black Bean Tacos

My son and daughter are obsessed with these black bean tacos. When I tell them we're having black bean tacos, they jump up and down like I told them it was Mac 'N Cheese night.

I remember the first time I made them last May when Zach and I were doing the Ultimate Reset. Zach and I were only allowed to have one measly taco, while Drew went on to have three. Hmph.

Since then Drew continues to load up on these tacos, and so do we. Kate scrapes her beans and rice out of the taco and eats it separate from the taco shell, but I'm not about to complain about it; she's eating, right?

The one component of these tacos that you're probably unfamiliar with is the Bragg's Liquid Aminos, and in my opinion it's the ingredient that absolutely makes this dish.

Liquid Aminos is kind of like soy sauce, but it doesn't taste like soy sauce -- it's just the same consistency and color. And it's a complete protein. Weird, but just trust me and head out to your local health store and get some because it is GOOD and you can also use it in my super favorite soup EVER, Zuchhini Cashew Soup. It's also good on salads, rice, stir fries...whatever.



Ultimate Reset Black Bean and Rice Tacos
Ingredients
¾ cup cooked brown rice
½ cup canned low-sodium black beans
¼ tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
⅛ tsp. ground chili powder
1 pinch ground cumin
¼ tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. Bragg® Liquid Aminos
Himalayan salt (to taste)

Directions
While rice is cooking, heat beans gently in saucepan until very hot. Drain and return to pan. Add olive oil, spices, Bragg Liquid Aminos, and Himalayan salt. Stir well. Gently fold beans into cooked rice. Serves 1.

For kicks you can add some diced tomatoes or corn to the taco/rice mixture, or serve with guacamole. During the Ultimate Reset the side to this dish was steamed kale, which may sound odd to you (it did to me), but it was very good. I continue to serve steamed kale as a side to this, and pretty much anything else that looks like it needs steamed kale. And what DOESN'T look like it needs steamed kale?

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Workout of the Day

Les Mills Combat: Upper Body Blowout

Why do I love this workout so much? Yesterday was yoga day, which meant no Combat. I ran around wanting to box all day and singing songs from the workouts. I think I have an addiction!

Saturday Drew and I did a 30-minute Combat workout together, and he had a lot of fun. I had fun showing off my jump kick -- he said, "Wow, Mom!"

Meatless Monday Episode 2: Return of the Veggie

My son is in the throes of a Star Wars obsession. He got episodes 4, 5, and 6 for Christmas, and we've seen the trilogy no fewer than three times each in the month we've owned them. I like the movies okay, but I really wasn't prepared for all the questions that come with a Star Wars obsession.

"What's your favorite droid, Mom?"

"Hey Mom, what's hyperdrive?"

"Mom, do you think hyperspace is where they go when they're in hyperdrive?"

"Where's the Dagobah System?"

"Who was the original owner of the Millenium Falcon?"

"Mom, which do you like better, R2-D2 or R2-Q2?"



"Mom, when I grow up I think I'll name my kids Luke, Leia, and Anakin." 
"You'll have to take that up with your wife, son." 
"Will she know what Star Wars is?" 
"If you're marrying her, then I imagine she will."

Today, in honor of Star Wars, Meatless Monday, and a rocking new recipe I fixed last Friday night, we're having Episode 2: Return of the Veggie.

I'm still experimenting with Rip's recipes from The Engine 2 Diet. So far there hasn't been a bad one! In fact, in the midst of eating this meal, Zach and I both declared it to be in our top three favorite meals.

The flavors in this dish complement each other so well. It's flavorful, filling, and over-the-top healthy! And one of the best parts is that I breezed in from an afternoon at the park and had this whipped up in about 15 minutes (give or take the five minutes I had to wait for the sweet potato to cool).

Give this a spot in your Meatless Monday rotation. Shoot, give it a spot any day of the week!
Wish I had a photo, but we ate it too fast.


Rip’s Sweet Potato Bowl

Ingredients:

1 large cooked sweet potato, skin removed, cut into cubes
2 mangoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into cubes
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Balsamic vinegar to taste

Instructions:

Warm sweet potatoes in microwave if using chilled leftovers. (I baked a sweet potato in the microwave for about six minutes. You want it to be soft enough to cut easily, but not so soft that it turns to mush.)

Place generous portion of sweet potatoes into large serving bowl.

Top with mangoes, bell pepper, black beans, avocado, and cilantro. (NOTE: I did not have any mangoes, so I substituted canned, cubed pineapple. DELICIOUS!)

Drizzle with lime juice and vinegar, stir gently, and serve.

I served it over brown rice, but you could use quinoa -- or just serve by itself!

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Workout of the Day

Les Mills Combat 60

Meatless Monday for Mom

Do you observe Meatless Monday? Have you ever heard of Meatless Monday?

It's a movement started back in 2003 as a way to improve the health of people worldwide, as well as to improve the health of the planet. (The production of animal protein consumes huge amounts of natural resources: water, fossil fuels, and topsoil, and also contributes significant pollution to water and air.)

Last week my Mom embarked on the challenge of Meatless Monday with my Dad, an avowed meat and potatoes kind of guy. It hadn't even been two hours into the actual Monday before her stress levels were elevating regarding choosing a meat-free dish that would satisfy the man who was trying to convince her that "fish isn't really meat."

Anyway, she landed on a lentil soup recipe along with mashed carrots and rutabegas, which sounds interesting and I want to try. It was a success, but there are many Mondays left in the year! So today, to help my Mom's cause and anyone else looking to remove some meat from their diet,  I'm featuring a meat-free burger from a cookbook Zach bought me for Christmas, The Engine 2 Diet by Rip Esselstyn.

Rip is a firefighter in Austin and a triathlete who eats nothing but plant-based foods. (AKA, a vegan, although it's interesting that he never uses that word. I suppose he's aware of the stigma that surrounds that term. He uses "plant-strong" or "plant-based" instead.)

It's a great book, with about half of the pages devoted to the science behind plant-based diets and the latter half devoted to recipes.

One of the myths The Engine 2 diet dispels is that "you can't get enough protein from plant foods." I think one look at the author (the triathlete) puts that argument to rest.

I think it's more likely that Americans consume too much protein, and a lot of us would benefit from one or two days per week without any animal protein.

Saturday night we tried out the "New York Times Veggie Burger" from The Engine 2 Diet, and not only were they tasty, but they also looked a heckuva lot like real beef burgers. It was uncanny, really. And the consistency was much like a traditional burger.

We usually have our veggie burgers over a bed of lettuce or spinach, but I think if you slapped one of these patties on a regular bun with all the fixins', you just might be able to fool some people. We all liked these veggie burgers -- even Kate!

Check out The Engine 2 Diet and give Meatless Monday a try for yourself. Maybe you'll find a few recipes that you like. Here's the recipe!

New York Times Veggie Burgers from The Engine 2 Diet

INGREDIENTS
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can tomatoes with zesty mild chilies, drained (that's Rotel, for you Texans)
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup parsley or cilantro (I used ½ cup loosely packed cilantro)
2 cups quick rolled oats (Here's a trick: if you only have rolled oats on hand, take the oats and pulse them in your food processor a few times. It cuts them up into smaller pieces, which is essentially what quick oats are.)
8 whole grain buns
Fresh veggie toppings and healthy condiments

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450º. Process the first seven ingredients using an immersion or a regular blender or food processor. Remove contents into a large bowl and stir in the oats. Form into patties, place on a sprayed baking sheet, and bake for 8 minutes. Turn oven up to broil and cook for 2-3 more minutes, until the tops are nicely browned. Toast the buns and pile on your favorite toppings.
Variation:
Sauté the burgers on medium heat in a sprayed nonstick skillet for 5 minutes on each side, until both sides are browned.

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Workout of the Day

Les Mills Combat: Shock Plyo HIIT 2

5 rounds of the following circuit: 5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 20 crunches. 

Slow Cooker Apple Oatmeal

If I had to choose one thing that makes the difference between someone who is successful in becoming a "healthy eater" and someone who is unsuccessful, it would be PLANNING.

When you are hungry, you will gravitate toward the easiest, fastest option. If, when you left the house, you threw a container of almonds and Cheerios or a protein bar in your purse, that is what you will eat. If you flew out the door without eating breakfast because you forgot to go to the grocery store, and didn't throw anything in your purse because you were late -- you will go to a McDonald's drive-through.

Planning: It's the bomb.

This Slow Cooker Apple Oatmeal takes a little planning but not much prep time at all. It's so easy that all the ingredients and instructions would fit in the little description space on the Pinterest pin that I found it on.

Slow Cooker Apple Oatmeal

Put two sliced apples, 1/3 cup brown sugar or honey, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in the bottom of a slow cooker.
Pour 2 cups of old-fashioned oats and four cups of water over the apples. Do not stir. Cook overnight for 8-9 hours on low.

In the morning you're good to go, and if you're the only one eating on this it will last you all week long.

A couple tips: after you've spooned your oatmeal into the bowl, add a tablespoon of natural peanut butter and some raisins to really take the taste over the top on this recipe. I had it "plain" and with peanut butter, and the peanut butter version won the prize, in my book.

Another thing: get yourself an apple slicer if you don't have one. It will make your life so much easier!

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Workout of the Day
Les Mills Power Kata 45

Slow Cooker Cranberry Applesauce

If you've never fixed homemade applesauce in a slow cooker, get out your "To-Do" list and jot it down right now. The toughest thing about homemade applesauce is peeling and coring the apples, and heck, that ain't so hard. And the payoff of that warm, sweet, chunky applesauce more than makes up for a few minutes peeling some apples.

I'll give you my basic applesauce recipe below, but what I really want to show you is a twist on homemade applesauce that I made a few weeks ago: Slow Cooker Cranberry Applesauce.

One of my happiest days of the year is the day that cranberries show up at the grocery store, and we usually have a bowl of fresh cranberry sauce in our fridge from November through February (cranberries freeze beautifully, so I stock up). I eat it as a side to the Thanksgiving turkey, of course, but also on top of yogurt or with some granola sprinkled on top. (Find my recipe for cranberry sauce here.)

About a month ago when the grocery store was overflowing with fall apples, I decided to make applesauce. It was tremendous, but I had a nagging thought that it was missing something. Something like cranberries!

A quick Internet search turned up several cranberry applesauce variations, but I chose to stick close to my original recipe with cranberries added in.

Here's the recipe to use for basic applesauce, and if you want to add some cranberries, then just throw some in!

Ingredients: 

8 medium apples (Use a combination of Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Fuji, Gala, etc.)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice 

1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

3 inch cinnamon stick or about 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

5 tsp light brown sugar (unpacked) - or agave

(Optional) 1 cup of fresh cranberries

1.  Peel, core and chop the apples.

2.  Add the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and cinnamon stick, and cranberries, if using.

3.  Set crock pot to low and cook for 6 hours. Stir apples occasionally, apples will slowly become a delicious applesauce. 

Remove cinnamon stick and use an immersion blender or potato masher to blend until smooth or if you prefer a chunky sauce, leave sauce intact. 

So good! Try it this weekend as your after-dinner, cozy-up-with-a-movie snack.

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Workout of the Day
Still nursing the sore lower back, so na-da. Things better shape up soon, because I've got to be in tip-top shape to tackle Asylum 2 as soon as Zach is done with his marathon in a few weeks!

Edamame Hummus

We're some serious hummus connoisseurs over here. Well, maybe not connoisseurs -- I wouldn't say we're snobby about it, or anything. I guess we're more like serious hummus consumers. We eat a lot of the stuff. I make at least one batch per week, sometimes more, and I feel a little guilty if I fall down on the job and don't have any in the fridge.

I've experimented with several variations on traditional hummus, which is made with chickpeas (garbanzo beans). I've done roasted red pepper hummus, black bean hummus...even peanut butter hummus (thumbs down). But none have stacked up to the original, until now. Edamame hummus was so good it could compete for the title as #1 hummus in the house.

The only reason the chickpea version might edge out the edamame is because chickpeas are cheaper (of course, I love the cheaper option) and faster, because you have to cook the edamame for a few minutes.

But this is a great "treat" hummus, and it even looks green and ghoulish in honor of Halloween today!

Here's the recipe (shout out to my Mom who told me about it!):

Ingredients:
1.5 cups frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 TB olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
(note: adjust seasonings as desired -- I added a little more cumin, plus some Tabasco and my customary 1 dollop of plain yogurt for creaminess)

Directions
1. Place edamame in pot and cover with salted water. Place over medium-low heat, bring to a simmer, and cook till tender; about 5 minutes. Drain.
2. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Enjoy!

Workout of the Day
Les Mills PUMP: Pump & Shred

Y'all, Zach is still training for the upcoming Dallas marathon, and I am just so thankful that I got out of the running business in time for the weather to turn cooler! I am a fair weather exerciser...heck, I am a fair weather HUMAN, and do not operate well in temperatures below...uhhh, let's say 76. That's a pretty optimal temperature, in my book. He's doing really well, though, and completed 20 miles last Saturday. Looking forward to cheering him on at the race on December 7!

Spaghetti and Zucchini Pancakes

Yeah...Spaghetti and Zucchini Pancakes. Does that not sound like the most bizarre thing ever?

I cut this recipe out of a Real Simple magazine sometime last year. It was part of a spaghetti featurette they had with all these different ways of doing spaghetti. I've flipped by the recipe umpteen times, and last week I got a wild hair to finally try it out. Zach was gone, so Drew and I were the guinea pigs.

You guys, I know I always say it: these are soooo good! They look completely creepy, but Drew and I mopped these up, and he loved the leftovers next day!

You cook the noodles in a pot, and in another pan you saute grated zucchini and onion. Then you put them both in a mixing bowl with some egg, salt, and some cheese (I used Parmesan although the recipe calls for pecorino...I don't know what pecorino is). Then you scoop out about a half cup's worth of the mixture and fry it like a pancake.

The result is like a spaghetti omelette, of sorts. For the marinara I just sauteed some onion and garlic and threw in a can of diced tomatoes and a handful of basil.

Such a neat twist on spaghetti...and pancakes!

Here's the recipe:

Spaghetti and Zucchini Pancakes

• 8  ounces  spaghetti (1/2 box)

• 1/4  cup  plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1  onion, chopped

• 1  zucchini, grated

• 2  eggs, beaten

• 3/4  cup  grated pecorino (3 ounces)

• kosher salt

• 1  cup  marinara sauce

Directions

1. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions.

1. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and zucchini and cook until soft, 6 to 8 minutes.

1. Add the vegetables with the spaghetti, eggs, and pecorino. Season with ½ teaspoon salt.

1. Heat the remaining ¼ cup of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, cook ½ cup portions of the spaghetti mixture until golden and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve with the marinara sauce.

Workout of the Day
P90X Plus: Total Body Plus
Having Tony withdrawals, so we mixed it up today with some P90X Plus. It was great to get back to some push ups and pull ups! Two weeks till the half.