noBOLOGNA

Steam Frying

Good Morning!

CAR TROUBLE

Today I dropped my car off at the shop.  I might have had an emotional break down on my way home from the mall yesterday when my car started making weird noises (plus other issues) and I wasn’t able to get in touch with Nick so he could tell me whether or not I should be worried.  So I worried.  He said I should go ahead and take it in to the shop since he won’t be able to look at it until this weekend.  The love I have for my car is deep.  I really hope it can be fixed, but if it ends up costing too much, it’ll be time to replace it.  I’ll keep y’all posted because I know you’re really concerned!

DINNER

Despite my break-down in the middle of a parking lot, the rest of the night turned out pretty great!  I’m loving this Whole Foods Health Starts Here Diet (Read about my Orientation).  It’s taking some time to learn how to manage it, but I think it’s getting better.  I had mushrooms, onions, and a bell pepper that I needed to saute.  We’re not allowed oil in our diet, so I had to steam fry them without the oil.  It worked like a charm too!  I watched this video from Whole Foods to learn how to do that.

I used part of that for veggie tacos.  I also made some guacamole to go with it.  I’m not allowed chips which is really hard because guacamole and salsa are really great on this diet, but I have nothing to dip with!  I’m still working on that!  The tacos turned out great.

guacamole

steam-fry-vegetables

 

vegetable-burrito

That’s guacamole, brown rice, low-sodium black beans, steam fried green bell peppers, mushrooms, & onions, and salsa.

I then put a portion of the steam fried veggies in a container for mexican later in the week and then steam fried the rest of the veggies with a little soy sauce to go in the brown rice I pre-cooked on Sunday.  I’m really looking forward to that for lunch today!  I already taste tested it last night before putting it away and yes, it’s delicious!

steam-fried-veggies-and-rice

I have a major sweet tooth.  I really didn’t consider that when I signed up for the challenge, but quickly realized that I have almost zero options for something sweet.  I went to the Whole Foods website to find a dessert I could have on the Health Starts Here diet.  I found a Banana-Cocoa Snack Cake.  I followed the recipe exactly except I didn’t add the shredded coconut on top.  The texture turned out like cake in my opinion, which was great!  The taste is a little different, but you eventually get over it and enjoy the fake brownie that’s 100 times healthier for you!  My parents had strawberry shortcake for dessert, so I decided I would put strawberries on it and see how it tasted – well, it’s wonderful!

banana-cocoa-snack-cake-strawberries

I’m enjoying the creativity that’s flowing with this challenge!  Constantly thinking one-step ahead to be prepared for the next meal.  I’m spending a lot more time in the kitchen, which is one of their goals for the challenge.  I’m excited about seeing the results after a week.  I believe I’m noticing a slight difference in my energy level, which is good.  I feel like my face is clearing up some, but it could be that time during the month when that usually happens (basically a 3 day window of clear skin before “that time of the month”).  Hopefully that’s not the case and I’ll continue to see improvement there.  I’ll do a full re-cap of my first week on Monday!

WORKOUT

One thing I’ve been slacking on are my workouts.  I ran 2 miles on Monday, I attended a portion of my HIIT class – it’s only 30 minutes- on Tuesday (I was running late because of work) and then I haven’t done anything today!  I need to get back to running and incorporating a lot of those circuit workouts I did during my 21 Day Workout Challenge.  Once I get news of my car, hopefully all is well and I can go pick it up after work then make it to that dreaded 5:45 class that I promised I’d go back to.

BREAKFAST

At our week 1 Health Starts Here class, our Healthy Eating Specialist, Mary Lindsey, shared what she eats for breakfast.  It sounded amazing, so I decided right then and there to buy what I needed and give it a try.  It’s also super simple!  You use Ezekial bread (I chose the cinnamon raisin), peanut butter (I’m using the Whole Food 365 brand because it has no added oil or sugar), sliced banana, honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  It was so good!  I paired it with a cup of Dunkin Donuts coffee with Almond Milk.

ezekial-bread-breakfast

 I’ve also been re-using my Whole Foods grocery bag for lunch.  It’s a lot nicer than the plastic bags I usually use and it stands up better.  I’m not worried about holes for my food or utinsels to fall through.

lunch-bag

That’s the coconut milk I brought for work so I can have coffee.  I’m also loving the Whole Wheat Corn Muffins you see there.  You use honey and it sweetens them up – Delicious!

  • Have you tried Ezekial bread?
  • Will you try Steam Frying?

I had never heard of Ezekial bread, but really enjoy it now!  Even after the challenge, I will continue to Steam Fry when possible.  I don’t see any reason not too when my vegetables turned out delicious and I didn’t need added oil and fat to do that.

Health Starts Here Orientation

When I arrived back home from Houston, I immediately headed to Whole Foods for my Orientation into the 28-day Healthy Eating Challenge called Health Starts Here.  It is based on 4 pillars of healthy eating as opposed to the food pyramid that I grew up with.  I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect when I signed up for the challenge.

They had green folders for all the participants that came with a ton of useful information!

health-starts-here-packet

We got two handbooks – Bulk Basics & Healthy Eating.  The bulk basics book goes through all the bulk items you can purchase such as beans, nuts,  seeds, & more.  It teaches you how to cook them and what they’re best used for.  I’m really looking forward to using more dried beans and preparing them fresh.

The Healthy Eating Handbook talks about the 4 pillars of health:

  • Focus on Whole Foods
  • Eat Plant-Strong
  • Choose Healthy Fats
  • Consider Nutrient Density

It also goes over some simple ways to make quick meals such as breakfast bowls, smoothies, & mighty bowls of goodness.  I’m excited to try my hand at some unique creations using the tips they provide.

One thing I was surprised about during the orientation was learning that meat was optional and that you are not allowed dairy or eggs.  Being a vegetarian, the meat will not be an issue, of course, but when I learned about the dairy & eggs, I quickly realized that I’m about to test out an almost vegan diet.  There may be one or two exceptions that I’m not thinking of at the moment, but basically I’m going vegan.

One tip that I learned was how to determine how much sodium was too much.  I’ve gotten to really enjoy quick microwavable meals for lunch – specifically the vegetarian or vegan lasagna’s.  I know they’re not good for me because of the sodium intake and I don’t eat them everyday, but I do indulge probably once a week.  You do not want to eat something that has more sodium than calories.  For example, if you read a label that has 200 calories, but over 700mg of sodium, that’s WAY TO MUCH!  I immediately started reading labels after the orientation.  I was excited to find a vegan lasagna made by Whole Foods (365 brand) that had less sodium than calories – I quickly bought that.

One thing I’m looking forward to is testing out new recipes.  I haven’t done much cooking at my parents, but I have a feeling that’s all about to change with this new challenge.  Whole Foods has a ton of recipes on their website created by the chefs that work for them.  You can do an advanced search that only includes “Health Starts Here” approved recipes.  I’ve already found some that I’m dying to try!

I don’t think I’ll be deprived.  It’s not about being “strict” – It’s about choosing foods to fuel your body and foods that are good for you.  Also, the healthy eating specialist, Mary Lindsey, is going to label all the items in Whole Foods that are Health Starts Here approved to make it easier on us!

What you can expect over the next month:  I’ll be documenting my progress as well as the recipes I use and any changes I’d make to the recipes (based on my preferred taste & number
of servings).  I plan on taking measurements at the start and documenting my progress as well as taking pictures of my face.  I’ve been breaking out  a lot lately and I’m interested to see how my face clears up with a healthy whole foods lifestyle.

Please feel free to ask questions throughout the challenge!  Some other aspects I’m looking forward to are the weekly meet-ups where we’ll learn about Bulk Basics & Plant-Strong Cooking.  We’re also doing a “Bonus Meetup” with a local running store for a group run/walk with tips from the pros!

I’m so proud of my Mississippi community for taking this step to better health!  They had to cap our registration at 80 and are not accepting any more participants for this particular challenge!  Due to the involvement though, I’m sure we’ll have another one soon after!  If you’re not in the Central Mississippi area, Whole Foods does this program at all of their stores, so try to join a challenge in your local area.

  • Have you done the Health Starts Here Challenge with Whole Foods?
  • Would you consider doing the Health Starts Here Challenge?
  • Take a look at the Whole Foods recipe website – is there a particular recipe you’d like to see me try and share my opinions on?  Remember to make it vegetarian & Health Starts Here approved.

I’m off to go plan my meals and seek out some more recipes!  The challenge starts Monday, July 28th!  Guess I should finish off these hot chips before then.

Unplug

Good Morning!

How was your weekend?  Mine was absolutely wonderful & relaxing.  I don’t get a lot of empty weekends so this was exactly what I needed.  Nick was out of town for bachelor trip and I stayed home the entire weekend doing a lot of nothing.  I did workout, of course!  I’m looking forward to a 30 minute evening walk later today to loosen my muscles and take a little break from my more hard-core workouts.  I may make it an hour walk if the weather is nice and I’m enjoying myself.  Tomorrow I’ll go to HIIT, so I want my body & muscles and to be well rested for that so I can give it my all.

webcam-041

Excited to see this little monkey on Friday!

When I left for the gym yesterday, my phone was close to being dead so I decided to leave it at home.  Honestly, I’m so attached to my phone sometimes that I truly enjoy the peaceful moments when I choose to forget about it.  I don’t unplug nearly enough!  As I enjoyed this true alone time, it made me think how important it is to unplug.  Do you find yourself checking your phone regularly throughout the day, even if you know it hasn’t vibrated or made a noise alerting a phone call or text message?  I do this ALL.THE.TIME!  My phone, the social networking, all of it can be such a huge distraction for me.  I don’t leave my phone alone enough, but when I do, I appreciate the lack of stress it brings and the freedom I feel when I’m not attached to it.

Maybe unplugging means something entirely different to you!  I encourage you to unplug regularly, it’s good for the soul – as I learned yesterday during my quiet workout and drive.

I’ve mentioned time & time again about the challenges that Nick and I do.  They vary in time frame and activity.  Right now I’m in the middle of a 21 day workout challenge where I workout for a minimum of 30 minutes every single day for 21 days.  This will help me establish a habit of working out.  I’ve currently completed 14/21.  If I’m sore from my workouts, then my 30 minute workout becomes a walk (like today!)  I have one week left of this challenge and then it’ll be time for a new one.  I’m challenging myself to unplug for 1 hour every single day for a month.  For me, unplugging will be silencing my phone and leaving it somewhere.  I’d love to know if you’re interested in joining me on this month long challenge!  Unplugging can mean something entirely different for you – whatever it is, unplug for one whole hour every day for an entire month and my hope is that you’ll find peace & relaxation during that time.

Switching gears…

I have a delicious & simple dip to share with y’all today!  Now that I’m a vegetarian, it’s extremely important for me to bring something that I can enjoy to parties & office functions.  Of course, I want others to enjoy it as well and I want it to be healthy!  When we had a baby shower in our office, I signed up to bring a veggie tray, but I didn’t want to bring ranch dressing and veggies – 1. overdone and 2. not healthy!

I made this delicious ranch dip that was 2 ingredients & was a hit at the office!

BeFunky_veggie-ranch-dip.jpg

Ingredients:

  • Your selection of veggies (I chose baby carrots, celery, cucumbers [home grown], and grape tomatoes
  • Plain Greek Yogurt
  • 1 packet of Ranch dip

I know this is ridiculously easy… Slice up your veggies, arrange to your liking (I enjoy alternating my colors), Mix up 16 oz. of your greek yogurt + ranch dip.

It’s healthier than plain ranch dressing because you add in that protein rich yogurt.  You’ll also surprise your co-workers or party-goers – The taste is different from your regular ranch.  The greek yogurt adds an extra ounce of flavor!  Everyone who tried it, loved it!  By the end of the day, the entire bowl of dip was gone and there were a few veggies left over.  People will thank you for bringing the veggie tray because everyone else probably brought the fattening stuff!

veggie-ranch-dip-2

Questions for the day:

  • If you joined the month long unplug challenge, what would you unplug from?
  • Share your healthy office-party food, what would you bring?

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