Birthday Weekend!

This past Memorial Day weekend was the weekend of my 23rd birthday!

I did have a couple cheats this weekend. One of which included a mini red velvet cake and Piper Heidsieck champagne! The cake was suprisingly good, considering it was from Ralph's grocery store.

On Saturday morning, I did go to the farmer's market again! I needed to get a few items before my 2 week Alaska vacation! I was able to get more oranges for juicing, apple pomegranate juice, strawberries, blood oranges, raw nuts, trail mix, almond meal, duck eggs, cucumbers, red swiss chard, carrots, green onions, duck eggs, and broccoli!

For a breakfast shake after the farmer's market, I included purple carrots, frozen berries, red swiss chard and coconut water! The red swiss chard adds a lot more flavor to smoothies compared to spinach and kale. Kale barely adds any flavor (in my opinion) and is perfect if you're trying to incorporate greens into your smoothies or diet.

Everyday over the 3 day weekend I had scrambled eggs, avocado and turkey bacon! I got the uncured, no preservatives, no nitrates or nitrites added turkey bacon from trader Joes! It was the closest bacon to Paleo I could find and I enjoyed it! Each slice was only 30 calories, low in fat and had a good amount of protein.

I love adding freshly chopped green onions, green peppers, white onions, tomatoes and avocado slices on top of my eggs. It is a good way to add freshness to a simple egg scramble without adding a lot of calories.

Included in breakfast along side the bacon and eggs, I made some delicious fruit plates! I love having a fruit plate at breakfast to munch on.

Also this weekend, my puppy Jack got a hair cut! They cut a lot of hair off, but it was much needed with summer coming up.Also, since he is staying with one of my friends while I go to Alaska I thought it would be nice if I got him groomed and bathed.

I was able to find Paleo beef hot dogs! These are uncured, no preservatives, no nitrates, no nitrites, with very little ingredients including beef, garlic, spices, and sea salt. They were very good, but did not taste like the typical hot dog that I grew up with, but I am happy that I found an alternative that will work with the Paleo diet.

Hope you had a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Now, I am off to Alaska for 2 weeks on a cruise! 

I will continue to blog and upload a lot of pictures! It should be beautiful during this time of year. Last year I went late in the season (early September) and this year we are going early in the season! I am hoping to see a lot of bears and eat some very good food.

Legs, Legs, & EGGS!

I do love doing legs days. I adapted this leg workout from a class I took at C.O.R.E. Condition Boot Camp. I remember it being really hard, but after waking up today, my legs are definitely feeling it! I also ran a 7:58 mile at the end, so I was very excited! The pandora station Dance Cardio is a really good station to workout too! The songs are pop but I think it hard upbeat songs that will get you sweating.

Immediately after my run, I had the same shake as yesterday; 1 cup almond milk, 1 tbsp vanilla protein powder, and 1 tsp powdered greens, all in a shaker cup.

I made a very similar breakfast to yesterday also, except I put fresh tomatoes and chives on top of my egg white frittata and I cut up an apple!

Sautee chopped zucchini and onions in a medium heat pan with a small amount of coconut oil.

Add chopped kale and turkey breast.

Once warmed through, add egg whites, sprinkle a small amount of red pepper flakes, and put the top on, lower the heat to medium-medium-low.

For this frittata, I left the top on the whole time, and never needed to flip it! It cooked all the way through, and I slid it onto a plate, topped it with fresh tomatoes and green onions.

I also cut up an apple, half of a banana, and 2 tbsp raw crunchy almond butter!

This helps crave my sweet tooth through out the day :)

The weather was so nice, I had to go swim laps at the pool! I ended up swimming for 30 minutes, and did about 1300m of freestyle and breast stroke. I even got a tan!

After my workout, I made a refreshing shake with strawberries, mango, pineapple, vanilla protein powder, ground flax seed, water, and ice.

I made the smoothie very thick, and topped it with dry oats, raw sunflower seeds, and raw pumpkin seeds. I ate it with a spoon and it was delicious! I like the texture the oats and seeds add to the smoothie; makes it chunky.

Dinner was BBQ turkey burgers, protein style with grilled onions, with baked sweet potato "chips", turkey chili left overs, and a small side salad! After working out twice I was really hungry, and it tasted so good.

Good Morning Stair Circuits!

Yesterday in between my AM Physics class and PM Math class, I completed my first stair circuit. I got the work out from May 2012 Oxygen Magazine. I did one complete circuit on the top 55 steps. I was breathing very hard, and I felt the burn. The total workout was about 40 minutes, including the 1 mile run uphill to get there the shortcut way, and 1 mile run it took to get home (downhill).

                                   

After my PM class, I went to the pool and did a 40 minutes of swimming circuit, made up by me!

Swim Circuit

Warm Up!

100m breast stroke, 50m backstroke, & 50m freestyle

Circuit Time!

100m freestyle swim

Get out of the pool, and on a towel or blanket do 20 Push ups, 25 Crunches, 20 Seated bicycles, 25 Toe touches, 25 Flutter kicks, 50 Russian twists, Plank 30 seconds.

1 minute break

Do this circuit 5X

Cool down!

50m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 100m breast stroke

Total Time: ~45 minutes

Total Distance Swam: 900 meters, which is a little over 1/2 mile

Today..

Early this morning I took the normal route to the stairs, which is a 1.5 mile run from my house, so total of 3 miles there and back! 

I'm now addicted to the stairs workout and its only day 2! I completed all 120 stairs through 1 complete circuit. It was hard, but doable and I could tell this was a great high intensity workout for me that was completely FREE! Combined with the 3 mile run and the 30-40 minute stair circuit, I would say I am definitely getting in a solid workout.

I'll post what the stair circuit includes later tonight!

Post Workout Mini Shake directly after my workout:

1 Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

1 Tsp Powdered Greens

1 Tbsp Vanilla Protein Powder

Combine ingredients into a shaker cup, and shake until fully combined. Enjoy!

Breakfast Time!

For breakfast, I made an egg white frittata (1 large egg, 2 egg whites) with 1 large kale leaf chopped and vein removed, 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped zucchini and 1/2 cup cooked ground turkey breast. I topped it with 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/4 of a mashed avocado and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh green onions.

As a side to my frittata, I cut up half of a pear and half of a banana with 2 tablespoons raw crunchy almond butter.

It was such a beautiful morning I enjoyed breakfast on my back patio with 1 cup of Unsweetened Coconut Milk.

All around, I would say this was a successful breakfast! It is high in protein, low in fat with vegetables, fruit, and healthy fats from the avocado and almond butter.

Breakfast Taco

I am definintely loving theses Ezekiel wraps. I will unfortunately have to stop eating them for a week when I try the Paleo Diet. I am so excited to try it! Maybe it will stick, maybe not, but it will be a fun experience either way.

Breakfast Taco

1 Small Ezekiel Tortilla

2 harboiled egg whites, chopped

1 Tbsp black beans, drained & rinsed

Assemble taco, with beans and egg whites, and microwave for ~20 seconds

Top with:

1 Tbsp red salsa

1/4 avocado chopped

Fold tortilla into a taco and enjoy!

That's it! Very simple, and I made my hardboiled eggs the night before so I didnt have to worry about them in the morning. Also, it is low in calories, good source of protein, healthy fats and fiber also! 

As a snack, I had a nonfat blueberry Oikos Greek yogurt and 2 hardboiled eggs. This snack is very high in protein so it kept me full for a long time!

Banana Almond "Crepe"

Yesterday and this morning were my days to hit the store! It was a big store run, since we just had our refrigerator worked on and had to get rid of most of our fresh food; which says a lot since most all of my food is in the vegetable and fruit drawers. 

I got most everything on my list with the exception of Coconut Flour and Chia Seeds. I also added Mangoes, they were 2 for $1 at Albertsons. I couldn't say no! My Uncle got my sweet potatoes and bananas also! I will be stoked up and ready for the next week.

Also, I couldn't find Ezekial Wraps BUT I found Ezekial tortillas, I am a bit obsessed now. The ingredients are clean and fresh. It tastes very similar to a regular whole wheat tortilla.

So with the tortillas in mind, I had a breakfast idea!

First though, I made a Kale, Onion, Turkey & Bell Pepper Scramble.

I sauteed onion in some olive oil, and added some spicy garlic chili paste (YUM!). I then added my orange bell peppers, kale, and turkey breast.

After the vegetables (and meat) were warm and cooked, I added 2 full eggs and 2 egg whites. I put the top on and cooked this over medium heat. I topped the final scramble with 1/4 avocado slices, and some medium Salsa Verde. It's just a simple scramble, but it was still good and filling!

While these were cooking away, my brain was thinking of a good way to use these tortillas. At first I was going to do a simple breakfast burrito, BUT I had just bought almond butter and I was craving it. Soooo... 

I present to you, Banana & Almond "Crepes"

Ingredients:

1 Ezekiel Sprouted Tortilla

1/2 small banana, sliced

1 Tablespoon Raw Crunchy Unsalted Almond Butter

1/2 Tablespoon ground flaxseed meal

1/2 Tablespoon Agave Nectar (for topping)

Simple, get 1 tortilla, spread almond butter all over, sprinkle flaxseed meal evenly, add 2 rows of banana slices, roll into a "crepe" form. I warmed the crepe up in the microwave for about 15 seconds and topped it with extra banana slices and drizzle with warmed agave syrup!

Final product!

Now, note that these need to be eaten quickly after warmed because the tortilla will get hard relatively fast (which didn't ruin the taste, just made it more difficult to cut through). 

I got my first half gallon of Trader Joe's Original Unsweetened Coconut Milk this morning too! I must say, after having a glass this morning, it may now compete with my love of almond milk. Thank goodness I have both right now so I can switch off.

 

Final breakfast was great!

Scramble + Crepe + Coconut Milk

The perfect way to get your day going :)

Apple Cinnamon Protein Pancakes

New Protein Pancake Recipe! I adjusted it from other protein pancake recipes I had seen, used whatever I had around the house, and it turned out great!

Apple Cinnamon Protein Pancakes:

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed

2 Tablespoon vanilla protein powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 apple, peeled and diced

6 Tablespoon egg whites

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1 1/2 Tablespoon unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Combined all the above ingredients in a blender or food processor, blend until ingredients have been

After the ingredients have been combined, put a small amount of coconut oil on a pan, add 1/4 of mixture per pancake onto the greased pan over medium heat. Cook until there is a light golden crust, flip and repeat. This recipe made me 4 medium sized pancakes.

In a small microwave safe bowl put1-2 Tablespoon organic pure maple syrup and microwave 15 seconds. I prefer my maple syrup warm. 

Once all the pancakes are done cooking, drizzle the warmed maple syrup over them and top with 1 Tablespoon chopped walnuts and 1-2 Tablespoon peeled and chopped apples

Final Product!

The kitchen  is a great place to be creative and think of new ideas.

Cinnamon Oats & Garlic Brussels Sprouts!

Prepping for the day!

Breakfast: Cinnamon, Apple, & Walnut Oatmeal with a side of egg whites

Lunch: Garlic Brussels Sprouts & Tomatoes

What is great about both recipes I posted? Both are vegan and vegetarian! If you are vegan and can't have the egg whites, you could make 2 servings of the oatmeal to have a bigger serving, or make a fresh fruit salad.

Cinnamon, Apple, & Walnut Oatmeal:

In a medium size bowl, add
•1/4 cup oats
•1/2 cup water
•1/4 apple, peeled and chopped
Microwave for 2 minutes

Add & Stir in:
•1 tablespoon ground flax
•1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Top with:
•1 tablespoon chopped raw walnuts

This recipe is for 1 serving.

Final Product!

Breakfast served. Pictured with cooked egg whites & red pepper flakes.

Garlic Brussels Sprouts & Tomatoes:

In a small sauté pan drizzle a small amount of coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil (~1/2 teaspoon), set heat at medium to medium low. Add 8 halved Brussels sprouts with the hard woody stem part cut off. Let this sauté for 5 minutes; until they start to brown a bit.

Then add 1/2-1 cup whole cherry tomatoes, 2-3 chopped garlic cloves depending on their size, and salt & pepper (to taste). Turn down heat to low and sauté for 3-4 additional minutes.

Finally, add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian spices. Cook this on low heat for 2 minutes and then it is ready to be served! I like to cook it until the tomatoes are bursting.

This recipe for 1 serving if a main dish, 2 servings as a side dish.

Final Product:

A great addition would be to top with shredded Parmesan cheese, especially of you are serving this to someone who does not love Brussels sprouts. I was also thinking next time to add some pine nuts as well.

Coconut Oil:

I bought my first jar of unrefined coconut oil from Whole Foods Market yesterday. This was my first time using coconut oil and it turned out really well. I had seen a lot of people using coconut oil, so I thought I could try it out, since I am an olive oil fiend! I used the coconut oil on my egg whites for breakfast and topped them with red pepper flakes.

Have a great day!