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Monday, August 20, 2012
Happy Anniversary
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Thursday, March 8, 2012
Egg Whites, Sandwiches, Gym
For breakfast I have been trying to incorporate more vegetables. Daniel likes the egg whites from the carton (try not to barf lol) so I make scrambled eggs from it and put in veggies. This week we have a lot of tomatoes and spinach. Other side dishes include plain whole wheat toast, bananas, Greek yogurt and granola, turkey, and for a special treat, orange juice!
For lunch we have been making lots of sandwiches. This is what happens when you go to Costco - you have to eat a lot of the same thing over and over! You guys know what's up.
Ariana loves to help me make sandwiches. She is very careful when stacking the ingredients on top of each other. And she added a cucumber tower on top of her sandwich, too! Look at that smile :) A healthy baby is a happy baby!
AS FOR THE GYM... I'M IN LOVE! I have just been loving to do the one hour Group X exercise classes at 24 Hour Fitness, especially Zumba and Turbo Kick Box. I try to go once a day if I can, even in the morning if I have to! Sometimes Daniel has been scheduled to work around 11 instead of 8 am so I use the opportunity to go to the gym while my babies sleep in. I come home feeling happy and energized and I love it! (And you guys know me, I am sooo not a morning person.) If Daniel works or goes to school in the morning, then I go to the gym later at night like around 8. Sometimes it can be strenuous on our relationship because we might have to choose who goes to the gym because we always want at least one parent with Ariana. But there are many hours in the day that we can go and if one of us has the energy to do it, then we know it is important to support each other!
Also, Ariana's Tias and Abuelita got a Zumba instructor to come to the studio! So we all love to take the classes Monday nights at 8. And if I'm not mistaken, they are going to open up classes on other days, too. I don't know for sure, but we'll see.
YAY!!!!!
For lunch we have been making lots of sandwiches. This is what happens when you go to Costco - you have to eat a lot of the same thing over and over! You guys know what's up.
Ariana loves to help me make sandwiches. She is very careful when stacking the ingredients on top of each other. And she added a cucumber tower on top of her sandwich, too! Look at that smile :) A healthy baby is a happy baby!
AS FOR THE GYM... I'M IN LOVE! I have just been loving to do the one hour Group X exercise classes at 24 Hour Fitness, especially Zumba and Turbo Kick Box. I try to go once a day if I can, even in the morning if I have to! Sometimes Daniel has been scheduled to work around 11 instead of 8 am so I use the opportunity to go to the gym while my babies sleep in. I come home feeling happy and energized and I love it! (And you guys know me, I am sooo not a morning person.) If Daniel works or goes to school in the morning, then I go to the gym later at night like around 8. Sometimes it can be strenuous on our relationship because we might have to choose who goes to the gym because we always want at least one parent with Ariana. But there are many hours in the day that we can go and if one of us has the energy to do it, then we know it is important to support each other!
Also, Ariana's Tias and Abuelita got a Zumba instructor to come to the studio! So we all love to take the classes Monday nights at 8. And if I'm not mistaken, they are going to open up classes on other days, too. I don't know for sure, but we'll see.
YAY!!!!!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
20 Pounds!
20 Pounds!
So I know my hubby is so private about it, but since I am so proud of and amazed by him I have to share it... He has lost 20 pounds since starting at the gym last month and being a little more health-conscious of what he eats! If you guys see him often, maybe you won't notice the difference very much, but if you really pay attention or you haven't seen him for a while then you can definitely see his face has slimmed down. I've noticed a happier guy with a little more energy than in past years. He is also fighting the cravings to eat bad foods late at night and really any bad foods at all! I know that I have slipped a few times with the chocolates and all and even though Daniel is tempted to join me, he just says no. It's very inspiring... I want to be more like him.
So I finally got a gym pass as a gift from Daniel. (Thanks, boo!) If you know me well, you know I've been wanting this since like.. ever!
I try to take pictures of every meal just to keep a record somehow, but I never upload the photos immediately. I like to upload them all together at the end of a week or so like I have been doing. I just feel it's more convenient.
Greek Yogurt. I've been loving this stuff. I bought the Fage All Natural Nonfat Greek Strained Yogurt in a 35.5 oz tub for about $8. I didn't taste great alone and I ended up putting a lot of fruit and cinnamon and honey in it to make it taste better. But I went through it pretty quickly and for $8, it seems a little pricey for us. Then I ran into another kind of Greek yogurt at WinCo called Zoi. It was also 35 oz but only $2.99! Ya, it was a little hard to believe so I turned the container around and compared it to the Fage...
Fage- serving size 1 cup, 130 calories, 9g sugar, 23g protein. Woah, nice!
Zoi- serving size 1 cup, 220 calories, 23g sugar, 11g protein. Big difference.
Also, the Zoi is vanilla flavored and it just tastes like dessert! I love it, but it's not the healthier choice and like any dessert I just eat it tooooo fast! Zoi is way too much sugar and way not enough protein to justify eating it! Maybe I will save it as a health(ier) option than cookies and ice cream and chocolate for dessert.... IIIFFF we have dessert :)
Another good dessert I've tried is pink chocolate drizzled popcorn. It is the SmartPop popcorn which is a pretty common indulgence for any diet cuz it's so low cal and it conquers those cravings. And I added just a little chocolate over the top of it so I could get my chocolate fix. The amount of chocolate I drizzle only adds about 50 calories for the entire bag of popcorn so I just don't feel so bad about it. I am planning on making them for favors for Ariana's second birthday party!
Oh ya, I am planning a menu for her party that is totally health-conscious. I know a lot of my family and the people around me that I care about and support on their journeys to living healthier will be at the party and I don't want to kill their diet efforts that day. I know personally that birthday party food just tempts me so bad and I nearly always succumb to all the cupcakes and pizza and ice cream and just feel awful after. And I would feel awful to do that to the people I love. So I am making every effort to serve healthy, colorful, yummy, and also some vegetarian options at her party. And I will do everything in my power to not use styrofoam, paper plates, paper cups, or any other unnecessary waste to add to the growing landfills around us. Guess who will be doing dishes for the rest of the day afterwards?! Lol... I will do whatever I can to make even the smallest difference if I can.
Enough with the HFCS and gelatin! Now THIS is what I call a fruit snack! And my daughter loves it… Score! And look at those colors – eat your rainbow, guys…
We love this pilaf rice. It’s super cheap, super easy to make, super tasty, and a good carb and grain to add to a meal. It’s 89 cents for a box which feeds all three of us for one meal. I served it here with some steamed fresh broccoli (Ariana and Daniel’s favorite vegetable AND half as expensive as the pre-packaged stuff) and boneless skinless chicken breast with the “savory” herbs and spices from the spice rack that Holly gave me two Christmases ago :) And instead of regular water, I added some fresh lemon and strawberry slices to make some sort of a strawberry lemonade flavor for a change. Ariana liked scooping out the strawberries. Aaaand some tea candles for a pre-Valentine's Day romantic feel :)
Today we had a nice lunch when Daddy came home from work. We had a fresh garden salad with capers and light balsamic vinaigrette and unsalted croutons (the special ingredient to make Daniel eat more salad hehehe…) I steamed some fresh carrots and sautéed tilapia in onions, capers, and an olive oil/balsamic vinegar/teriyaki sauce. Daniel doesn’t usually like onions so I try to find clever ways to sneak them in like chopping them up really small, adding them to a sauce, or sautéing them several minutes in the pan before adding the fish/meat to take the edge off the strong taste. I just love cooking with them and the flavor they give, even though Ariana laughs at me when I use goggles to cut them up :/
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Diet and Exercise - Duh!
It's not a mystery... Diet and exercise are the keys to losing weight, looking great, getting healthy, and feeling energized! Take care of your bodies! You've only got one to last you your whole life.
We have been making an effort to get healthier (as always.) We never paid close attention to counting calories, etc., but now we are because it really hit us hard to see the calories burn so slowly on the gym equipment. It's like, I just ate a bowl of ice cream that I probably could have done without. That's easily 300 calories (with my mama bear portions) and that's equivalent to an hour on the bike or 30 min on the elliptical. Uhh, so not worth it! And say I have a 100-150 calorie snack right now. I can have 11 doritos or a huge bowl of watermelon. Which do I prefer? What is better for me? And what will make me full until the next meal time? I just always want to eat a lot... Maybe that's just me haha! So I eat good sized portions of low calorie fruits and veggies. And the sweet tooth gets conquered - YES!
We have also been thinking about our time. Time is a very valuable thing to us right now. Time is ticking and our daughter is growing up. We are maturing as a young family and don't wanna miss a beat together. Daniel, Ariana, and I spend as much time together as possible so to overeat means more time at the gym and less time with family. Very quickly it becomes not worth it to make poor food choices. Poor food choices get in the way of family time, stress-free living, and reaching our goals. And when it comes to reaching our goals, the sooner the better, right?!
And currently we both have gym memberships to 24 hour fitness. We have been going almost every day, with the exception of 1 or 2 rest days a week. I will usually take a turbo kick box or zumba class and then elliptical til I burn 300 calories and use some other machines while Daniel watches Ariana at home or walks around Lakewood mall right there (love the location!) Then it's my turn with the baby and Daniel hits the gym hard. I am so happy that we are taking turns to each have our own time with the baby and that we are both getting the opportunity to exercise regularly. What a perfect way this has been working out! I know that using our time this way is going to be beneficial for all of us in the long run so even though I do miss the one-on-one time with Daniel, this is worth it. I love the support I get from him and I return it back to him as well. And as an added perk, sometimes the Abuelitos watch Ariana and we can work out together! (Seeing my hubby lifting weights... HOTTT! And motivating! Hahahah) Sooo I am going on my 3rd week and Daniel is going on month 2! So far so good. I love it! This is a new lifestyle that I am SO ready for!!!
These have been some of our meals lately.......
Greek yogurt! So I know I'm a little late on this discovery, but whatever, I love it. I like it with cinnamon and grapes or with a little honey and bananas! Delish! Super high in protein (great to rebuild after a workout) and super low in calories (which is always good.) And of course, the fruits are some added vitamins and color to my bowl!
I cook our breakfast eggs with one yolk and the rest egg whites.
Lentil soup left over from dinner last night with a little bit of cheese.
And lots of fruits, lots of veggies, lots of GREEN! Thank goodness broccoli is my hubs and baby's FAV veggie!
Tilaaapia! Gotta love it. No need to force anyone to eat it, it's already a hit!
Carbs! Great about an hour before the workout. They help me get through and not crash. I feel sustained with energy. (Reminds me of Coach Shan telling us to eat pasta for dinner the night before a meet! I guess she knew what she was talking about!) And I tried this new thing I saw on Pinterest. Spaghetti THROUGH sausages when they're raw, and then cook them like regular. Crazy, huh? Apparently the whole world has already seen this, but I just did so I tried it and got a great response from the crowd :)
^Look at those eyes :)
Happy eating and exercising everyone! Hit us up! We love work out buddies :)
We have been making an effort to get healthier (as always.) We never paid close attention to counting calories, etc., but now we are because it really hit us hard to see the calories burn so slowly on the gym equipment. It's like, I just ate a bowl of ice cream that I probably could have done without. That's easily 300 calories (with my mama bear portions) and that's equivalent to an hour on the bike or 30 min on the elliptical. Uhh, so not worth it! And say I have a 100-150 calorie snack right now. I can have 11 doritos or a huge bowl of watermelon. Which do I prefer? What is better for me? And what will make me full until the next meal time? I just always want to eat a lot... Maybe that's just me haha! So I eat good sized portions of low calorie fruits and veggies. And the sweet tooth gets conquered - YES!
We have also been thinking about our time. Time is a very valuable thing to us right now. Time is ticking and our daughter is growing up. We are maturing as a young family and don't wanna miss a beat together. Daniel, Ariana, and I spend as much time together as possible so to overeat means more time at the gym and less time with family. Very quickly it becomes not worth it to make poor food choices. Poor food choices get in the way of family time, stress-free living, and reaching our goals. And when it comes to reaching our goals, the sooner the better, right?!
And currently we both have gym memberships to 24 hour fitness. We have been going almost every day, with the exception of 1 or 2 rest days a week. I will usually take a turbo kick box or zumba class and then elliptical til I burn 300 calories and use some other machines while Daniel watches Ariana at home or walks around Lakewood mall right there (love the location!) Then it's my turn with the baby and Daniel hits the gym hard. I am so happy that we are taking turns to each have our own time with the baby and that we are both getting the opportunity to exercise regularly. What a perfect way this has been working out! I know that using our time this way is going to be beneficial for all of us in the long run so even though I do miss the one-on-one time with Daniel, this is worth it. I love the support I get from him and I return it back to him as well. And as an added perk, sometimes the Abuelitos watch Ariana and we can work out together! (Seeing my hubby lifting weights... HOTTT! And motivating! Hahahah) Sooo I am going on my 3rd week and Daniel is going on month 2! So far so good. I love it! This is a new lifestyle that I am SO ready for!!!
These have been some of our meals lately.......
Greek yogurt! So I know I'm a little late on this discovery, but whatever, I love it. I like it with cinnamon and grapes or with a little honey and bananas! Delish! Super high in protein (great to rebuild after a workout) and super low in calories (which is always good.) And of course, the fruits are some added vitamins and color to my bowl!
I cook our breakfast eggs with one yolk and the rest egg whites.
Lentil soup left over from dinner last night with a little bit of cheese.
And lots of fruits, lots of veggies, lots of GREEN! Thank goodness broccoli is my hubs and baby's FAV veggie!
Tilaaapia! Gotta love it. No need to force anyone to eat it, it's already a hit!
Carbs! Great about an hour before the workout. They help me get through and not crash. I feel sustained with energy. (Reminds me of Coach Shan telling us to eat pasta for dinner the night before a meet! I guess she knew what she was talking about!) And I tried this new thing I saw on Pinterest. Spaghetti THROUGH sausages when they're raw, and then cook them like regular. Crazy, huh? Apparently the whole world has already seen this, but I just did so I tried it and got a great response from the crowd :)
^Look at those eyes :)
Happy eating and exercising everyone! Hit us up! We love work out buddies :)
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Don't Waste Food
I saw an eye-opening documentary. It's called Dive!
http://www.divethefilm.com/
It opens our eyes to see how much food is really wasted, how much we disrespect the earth and all that goes into our food, and how there really is enough food on this earth to feed everyone and more.
Let's educate ourselves about when food is actually too old to eat and let's not waste it.
http://www.divethefilm.com/
It opens our eyes to see how much food is really wasted, how much we disrespect the earth and all that goes into our food, and how there really is enough food on this earth to feed everyone and more.
Let's educate ourselves about when food is actually too old to eat and let's not waste it.
Yummy Dessert
For dinner we had lentil soup with quesadillas.
For dessert, I baked some apples and sprinkled them with cinnamon. Then I topped them with some vanilla ice cream. Delish! And not so unhealthy either... for a dessert anyway.
For dessert, I baked some apples and sprinkled them with cinnamon. Then I topped them with some vanilla ice cream. Delish! And not so unhealthy either... for a dessert anyway.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
New Phase
So we are starting a new phase of our quest to live healthy lives. For Daniel, it includes daily exercise at the gym (usually a couple hours in the night) and making healthier food choices. We are eating out less and cooking at home more. It's always hard, but this time we really want to stick to it because our end result ultimately outweighs all of the struggling to put down candy, etc.
Today I made a turkey sandwich (no condiments) and what I like to call a sweet and sour fruit salad. I have been reading up on adding things like lemon and cinnamon to a healthy weight-loss diet and I noticed Kayla using them in her dishes so I thought I would give it a try. Today it just has apples and bananas.
And I want to give a shout out to my amazing husband Daniel for exercising every day for an entire week! I'm so proud of you for initiating this healthier lifestyle and for wanting it so bad and doing something about it! I admire your dedication. Even when you have been aching, sore, and tired from the stresses of every day, you still go put in time at the gym. Congrats on your weight loss already after week ONE and I will be here by your side for as long as you need until you reach your goal!
BTW we want to get involved in a local walk or race. Anyone have a cause that is close to heart that we can support? Or does anyone participate in anything coming up? Particularly something stroller friendly and something we have to pay for.
Today I made a turkey sandwich (no condiments) and what I like to call a sweet and sour fruit salad. I have been reading up on adding things like lemon and cinnamon to a healthy weight-loss diet and I noticed Kayla using them in her dishes so I thought I would give it a try. Today it just has apples and bananas.
And I want to give a shout out to my amazing husband Daniel for exercising every day for an entire week! I'm so proud of you for initiating this healthier lifestyle and for wanting it so bad and doing something about it! I admire your dedication. Even when you have been aching, sore, and tired from the stresses of every day, you still go put in time at the gym. Congrats on your weight loss already after week ONE and I will be here by your side for as long as you need until you reach your goal!
BTW we want to get involved in a local walk or race. Anyone have a cause that is close to heart that we can support? Or does anyone participate in anything coming up? Particularly something stroller friendly and something we have to pay for.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Our meals lately...
For dinner yesterday we had:
-green beans sauteed in balsamic vinegar with capers
-garden fresh salad with homemade croutons
-homemade guacamole (just avocado and tomato)
-chicken breast in a balsamic vinegar sauce
YUM! And thanks again for the GORG plates, Caletta!
And we have been munching on vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from Fresh N Easy for desserts! So good... And we are now "Friends of Fresh N Easy" so we get points and cash back for the things we buy. Hey, why not? I love their discount section, especially if I need ripe foods to cook for dinner!
For lunch today we had BLT's with avocados and turkey bacon (MMM!) with some veggies straws on the side. Ariana just wanted the veggie straws =/
Tonight we are going to check out this new store called WinCo Foods on Downey and Lakewood by the gym. We have been watching them build this brand new grocery store on the way to school every other morning and are excited to finally stop by and look around! I am looking forward to seeing some competitive prices!
We have tons of eggs from Costco that we need to use some so I am really looking forward to making mini breakfast frittattas tomorrow. I'll pour mixed eggs into cupcake pans and we can each add our own mix-ins like cheese, turkey, turkey bacon, peppers, onions, tomatoes, broccoli, or salt/pepper/Lawry's. I would especially like to try a cheesey broccoli frittatta. Mmm!
I haven't really been exercising a lot and feeling bad about it. Actually, I haven't exercised at all and the more I think about it, the less I wanna do it, but the worse I feel. =/ Maybe I'll finally break down and buy myself a gym membership for Christmas.
-green beans sauteed in balsamic vinegar with capers
-garden fresh salad with homemade croutons
-homemade guacamole (just avocado and tomato)
-chicken breast in a balsamic vinegar sauce
YUM! And thanks again for the GORG plates, Caletta!
And we have been munching on vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from Fresh N Easy for desserts! So good... And we are now "Friends of Fresh N Easy" so we get points and cash back for the things we buy. Hey, why not? I love their discount section, especially if I need ripe foods to cook for dinner!
For lunch today we had BLT's with avocados and turkey bacon (MMM!) with some veggies straws on the side. Ariana just wanted the veggie straws =/
Tonight we are going to check out this new store called WinCo Foods on Downey and Lakewood by the gym. We have been watching them build this brand new grocery store on the way to school every other morning and are excited to finally stop by and look around! I am looking forward to seeing some competitive prices!
We have tons of eggs from Costco that we need to use some so I am really looking forward to making mini breakfast frittattas tomorrow. I'll pour mixed eggs into cupcake pans and we can each add our own mix-ins like cheese, turkey, turkey bacon, peppers, onions, tomatoes, broccoli, or salt/pepper/Lawry's. I would especially like to try a cheesey broccoli frittatta. Mmm!
I haven't really been exercising a lot and feeling bad about it. Actually, I haven't exercised at all and the more I think about it, the less I wanna do it, but the worse I feel. =/ Maybe I'll finally break down and buy myself a gym membership for Christmas.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Field Fresh Chopped Salad
I had this salad from Trader Joe's a few days ago and absolutely loved it! I want to recreate something like it. This salad had some cool ingredients, but some of them sound expensive, so will change some things around. And some of the ingredients were chopped really finely, so I think I might have to whip out my magic bullet hahaha!
Romaine lettuce
Yellow corn (fresh or canned, drained)
Red cabbage
Green onions
Red bell peppers
Israeli couscous
Raisons (instead of dried currants)
Parmesean cheese, grated (instead of asiago cheese)
Grilled chicken breast, cubed, sliced, or shredded
Toasted pecans (optional)
Trader Joe's Sweet Basil Dressing (or any other dressing I already have in my fridge)
I loved the fresh combination these ingredients and so did Daniel. Score!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Shauna's Panzanella
Hey maybe if cucumbers are on sale, I'll add them!
I had this dish made by the lovely Shauna at one of our girls' nights (or baby shower?) and never forgot about it. She was able to send me the recipe on Facebook! Just wanna say, I have a friend that goes to Harvard... Ahaha! Love you girl!
Here's the recipe (it serves about 8-10):
Panzanella:
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup plus 6 tbl olive oil
1 french baguette, cut into cubes
1 lb cherry tomatoes
2 tsp salt plus pinches for taste
1/2 tsp black pepper plus pinches for taste
1 lb green beans, trimmed
3 tbl balsamic vinegar (white if available)
2 tbl capers, rinsed
1 tsp sugar
1 can (~17oz) white beans (cannellini, northern, etc)
1 lb fresh mozzarella, cubed
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
Preheat the oven to 425F. Add half of minced garlic and a pinch of salt to a large bowl and 2 tbl olive oil, whisking well. Add bread cubes ad toss until coated. Arrange bread on a baking sheet lined with foil and toast in oven until golden. Approx 10-12 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl (can reuse the one from the bread), toss green beans with 2 tbl olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange on foil lined baking sheet and put in oven (can reuse foil from bread to add flavor). Repeat with tomatoes. Roast until tender but not mushy, tomatoes may finish before beans.
Make dressing in bottom of huge serving bowl. Add vinegar to remaining garlic and 1/2 cup olive oil along with capers, sugar, 2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Whisk to combine well. Add roasted green beans and tomatoes (along with any pan juices), beans, mozzarella, and basil. Toss to combine. Add bread cubes and toss again.
There are always tons of old(er) baguettes for clearance at Fresh and Easy right here by my house. And as I recall, Shauna said it was better to use stale(r) bread for these. Instead of white beans, I'm thinking of using the leftover pinto beans from lunch. I think that should be fine, right? And ahh, my favorite part of this recipe has got to be those CAPERS! I love them. And fresh mozzarella? What a treat! Tonight we're going vegetarian! I'm gonna make Nora's pesto and Shauna's panzanella!
Juicing, Beans, Vegetarianism, and Exercise
I have been making a lot of juices lately from green apples, oranges, celery, carrots, and sometimes grapes and pineapple. I really, really want to put more green things in my juices for that extra nutritional boost like kale, spinach, and lettuce. I feel like all the fruits and veggies I put in juice now I would just as easily enjoy eating whole. Isn't the point of juicing to like, disguise all those veggies that you usually wouldn't like to eat and only use a few fruits and sweet things to give it a better flavor? Well, I don't think that drinking these juices is bad, but I guess I just want to take it to the next level.
Also, I want to make lots more beans, lentils, and rice. They're good for us, they're super cheap, and Daniel says it reminds him of home. Healthy, cheap, yummy comfort food? What's not to love?! As for couponing, I haven't done that much. I found this section at Fresh and Easy that has all the foods that are expiring soon (but not yet!) for super super low prices. I got 12 dinner rolls for 50 cents, a whole bag of bagels for 50 cents (something we don't usually buy because they can be expensive), two onions for 25 cents, and tomatoes for 50 cents. Yay!!! We haven't gone grocery shopping extensively (like at Costco) for a long time because we are trying to eat all the foods we already have.
My sister Kayla has been vegan for quite some time now and she feels and looks great! I really like the restaurant she works at in Long Beach called Steamed. It's all organic, local, and vegetarian cuisine. It has been inspiring me to eat vegetarian more often... Maybe even half of the time? The movie on Netflix called Forks to Knives has also got me thinking about changing my diet and cutting out more meat. I can understand that chicken and fish every once in a while can be fine, but when I plan to make something for dinner, I'm realizing that it doesn't always have to revolve around some kind of meat. That's why I've been asking my friends for some of their favorite vegetarian recipes. Daniel is willing to try it, and if any of you remember from our wedding, he put it in his vows to eat the healthy stuff I cook him! :D Hahaha! I know that if I just take the time and put in some creativity, he will come home and eat whatever I made.
As for exercise, I want to keep it at home or local and involving the baby if I have to. Before I had done the P90X one hour videos during Ariana's nap, but lately I've just been finding so many other things to do during that time, especially since school started, and I got bored of the same 5 videos. Daniel and I have been riding bikes or walking around the block with the baby at the end of the day when we find ourselves just sitting around. I guess this is better than nothing and I like the time we have to talk to each other and do nothing else, but I feel like it's not really as intense as I want. Sometimes I use weights while I'm watching tv. I just feel so tired and lazy. Maybe I should exercise to get more energy!!!
Friday, September 23, 2011
Nora's Pesto Pasta
I texted my friend Nora over at University of Massachusetts for this recipe. She has been vegetarian her whole life and I simply adore her family and all their vegetarian recipes. This one is my favorite, I think. And I bet I can even add in halved cherry tomatoes or asparagus.
3 cups basil leaves
1 tsp pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Toast the pine nuts by cooking on low in a skillet for about two minutes.
Blend everything in a food processor or roughly chop the basil and pine nuts.
Cook pasta. Tortellini, bowtie, spaghetti, or really any kind of pasta works.
Throw it all together!
Thanks, Nora!
Vegan Pot Pie
Originally this recipe has tofu, but I'm going to pass on that. Hormone-altering soy no good, eh? I might also use up the crescent rolls that have been in my fridge. I think it would be easier than making the crust from scratch. I want to make a couple and freeze them for Daniel to take for lunch to work. What should I bake them in? Buy ceramic baking dishes?
Filling
8 ounces super or extra firm tofu
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Russet potato, diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas
1 teaspoon finely chopped sage
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
Salt and pepper
Special Equipment
2 (12-ounce) ramekins or other oven-safe dishes
Preheat oven to 400° F.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same skillet. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent.
Add potato to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until tender but not mushy.
Add flour, nutritional yeast, and soy sauce to the skillet and stir into the vegetables.
Add vegetable broth and stir until combined, scraping all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add peas, sage, and thyme and stir until combined.
Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Quickly shape the dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Place on a floured surface a roll out to 1/8 inch thick.
Place the ramekins upside-down over the dough and use a paring knife to cut out circles about 1/2 inch larger on all sides.
Assemble and Bake
Divide the vegetable mixture between the ramekins.
Place a dough round over each ramekin and tuck the sides under to form a thicker crust around the edge. Press to seal around the edges of the dishes and crimp with a fork. Cut a slit in the middle.
Bake in the oven until golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
I got this recipe from http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/vegan/recipe-vegan-tofu-and-vegetable-pot-pie-134550.
My Motivations
I know that food is such an important part of a healthy and happy life. Really, what you eat can determine the quality of your life! I want to live this principle by recognizing and taking responsibility for my food choices and what I serve to my family. I want the best for myself, my husband, and our daughter. I want us to be have healthy weights, organs, attitudes, and minds.
Since I am a stay-at-home mom and student, I will take on creating this healthy, happy home as my job:
-Maintain a clean home environment
-Cook healthy plant-based foods to eat together or take for lunches
-Purchase most of our groceries with coupons
My Inspirations have been and are:
Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead the movie
Forks Over Knives the movie
Kayla, my vegan sister
I will cook healthy foods and juices with little to no animal products and more fresh, colorful plant foods. I will use this blog to collect recipes I would like to try and document our successes with these goals.
Since I am a stay-at-home mom and student, I will take on creating this healthy, happy home as my job:
-Maintain a clean home environment
-Cook healthy plant-based foods to eat together or take for lunches
-Purchase most of our groceries with coupons
My Inspirations have been and are:
Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead the movie
Forks Over Knives the movie
Kayla, my vegan sister
I will cook healthy foods and juices with little to no animal products and more fresh, colorful plant foods. I will use this blog to collect recipes I would like to try and document our successes with these goals.
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