On the Run

I participated in my first 5k last summer when I was (unknowingly) newly pregnant with baby #3. I felt like I was just getting the hang of running. My form was finally right, I could go over a mile without feeling like I was going to die and--the key thing--I finally learned to ENJOY it. One thing I noticed from that run was the sense of community I felt with my fellow runners. Everyone was so supportive and excited. It must be all of those endorphins. :) I walked another 5k a few months later while I was 4 months pregnant and unbelievably uncomfortable and hot. But I did it. After having my baby I tried running about 8 weeks after she was born. I did surprisingly well, and then...I got hurt.

Yesterday I took my newly rehabbed ankle for a test run, running a loop around the local high school (which has HILLS). I did better than I expected, and didn't even feel a twinge in my ankle, but after my first 3/4 mile lap I didn't think I could do it again. This song came up at just the right time:

My second lap actually went better than the first. I had a little more speed and I managed to jog a little further up the hill. On my way down I passed a fellow runner, his face just as red and sweaty as mine. I gave him a nod of, "I'm with you brother, keep it up" and it was returned. In that small gesture I felt welcomed back in to the community. I plan on running three days a week.

Last week the women in our church had an activity centered around how to get healthy: nutrition, cooking tricks and fitness. Several of the speakers outlined the importance of goals, so I decided to get more specific:

*Drop three pants sizes
*Tone those arms and legs!
*Flatten belly (as much as I can after having 3 in 3)
*Work those glutes/get a butt (one way I am doing this: http://pinterest.com/pin/6333255698943845/)
*Make it through the Warrior Dash 
*Run a 5k all the way through
*Do 50 push ups (I can do, like, 2)
*Do both regular and standing splits

One important part of this journey is to use fruit and veg as the largest parts of my diet. Today I made a smoothie before workout #1 that consisted of: banana, mango, frozen peaches, strawberries, pineapple juice, and almond milk. To incorporate veggies, as I try to do with every meal, I added a cup of baby carrots. SO GOOD. And, for those of you with sweets cravings (yo!) I took a lime and a lemon and added three slices of each to my water bottle. I've been drinking the citrus water all day and it has been such a help.

My goal isn't to look like a celebrity, I know that would require all sorts of professional help (but, if that were my goal, I would definitely want to have Jennifer Lawrence's figure). I want to be lean, energetic, able to keep up with my extremely active kids, and look great in clothes. I love being a mom, but I really don't want to look like one. :)

It's Good to Be Back

Since my last post I have found out I was pregnant, had a complicated third trimester, continued with school (I started winter term in the hospital), had a baby, and struggled to lose the baby weight. Here's where I'm going to get personal, because I think people need to hear things like this:

I am four pounds under my delivery weight. I gained 20 pounds during my pregnancy, and thought/hoped that since I lost 15 pounds a week after having baby #2 that I'd be well on my way to my goal weight by now (four and a half months postpartum.) My weight has fluctuated A LOT.  I was down about eight pounds at one point, then postpartum depression kicked in. Working out and eating well are hardly priorities when it takes everything you have to take care of  your kids, and maybe shower yourself and do a load of dishes. I've had my good days, I've been in denial, and I'm getting back to normal. It's so easy to forget that you  feel better when you eat well and exercise, because it's easier to hang out on the couch with your kids and eat cookies. This has all been very humbling.

Where I am now. The pants don't help.

I have finally arrived to a good head space that will allow me to commit to getting myself in shape. People can be happy in many sizes, and I think that's wonderful. As someone studying health, nutrition and sports medicine I worry about certain habits but feel that as long as people understand the risks it's ultimately their choice how they treat their bodies. I, personally, feel better overall when I'm leaner. It feels better on my frame, I don't feel like I'm stumbling around in someone else's body--which is where I am now. I lost almost 60 pounds after having kid #2 and was still 15-20 pounds away from my goal weight, but I had tone, I had energy, my jeans looked pretty great on me, I was HAPPY and CONFIDENT. Then I got pregnant. :)

It's time to finish what I started. I've set a new, more challenging goal for myself. I have decided I'm going to lose 50 pounds. I haven't set a time frame for this, and I'm not sure I will. My anniversary is in four months, and it isn't unreasonable to say that I can be halfway to my goal by then. The ultimate goal is to be maintaining my weight and tone for my sister's wedding next November. But I want to reach my target well before that point.

My plan is to eat fruit, vegetables, and whole (gluten-free) grains with lean protein. I'm working on cutting out refined sugars, which is SO HARD. I give myself room for treats and occasional unhealthy foods because, hey, I'm human. Weight loss doesn't have to be miserable. I am also working on doing two a day workouts, with the first workout being intense cardio and strength training, and the second being something like yoga and pilates. This is proving difficult right now with the term winding down and having to work on my end-of-term projects and papers, but I am trying.

Yesterday I tried Nike+ Kinect Training. It was a great workout--it starts you off with a comprehensive fitness test and shows your body doing the exercises. I saw all of the bulges, wobbly bits and jiggles. That was a bummer. This should be a good tool for me, it personalized a program for me and does monthly fitness tests to track your progress. That will be my main workout #1 resource.

This blog will be where I track my progress and share recipes, workouts, and inspiration. I will be totally honest, I need the accountability.

I know plenty of people who are starting the same journey, and I welcome them to share ideas, triumphs and struggles.

Time to get my sweat on!

Indian Chicken Salad

 Gluten-Free, Light


This weekend I was lucky enough to have lunch with my cousins and aunt, who I never get to see. I volunteered to bring chicken salad, mostly for selfish reasons--I've been working on perfecting my recipe so I could share it with all of you. Knowing my family's love of Indian flavors, I knew it would be a good fit for our party. We served them on croissants (an Udi's bun for me...are there GF croissants out there?), but at home I ate my leftovers on a kale and red cabbage salad with Blue Diamond hazelnut crackers on the side.

All of the seasoning is to taste, have fun with it!

I started by coating 4 chicken breasts in Trader Joe's Mango Ginger Chutney and grilling just long enough for them to have pretty grill marks. I also found that the chutney charred on the grill and made my kitchen smokey, so a quick sear is all you need.

Before baking. Looking good already!

I added another coat of chutney and baked the chicken in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes; they came out perfectly juicy.

Our Recipe so far:

4 Chicken Breasts
1/2 C Trader Joe's Mango Ginger Chutney

After letting the chicken cool, I diced it and placed in in a large mixing bowl, then combined it with the following:

1/8 C Crushed Almonds
1 Pink Lady Apple, Diced
1 T Cilantro, Finely Chopped
1 1/2 C Plain Yogurt
1 1/2 T Curry
1 t Garlic Powder
1/2 t Cumin Powder
2 Dashes of Turmeric (it gives Indian food that gorgeous golden color)
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to Taste
Cayenne Pepper, to Taste

 

My bed-headed helper.

Let chill for at least two hours to allow the flavors to marry. Serve on GF bun, bread, in a wrap or on a salad. It's even better the next day.

Serves approximately 10.

Happy Lunchtime!

Caprese Chicken Burgers

I kept promising to post my caprese chicken recipe, and today I finally got everything together to do so. It's a good thing I waited, because this is the best batch yet! I realized that I haven't been adhering to the main goal of this blog, which is to share recipes that help me incorporate more vegetables in my diet... these burgers are full of them!

The whole process took about 30 minutes, and it made 6 lovely and juicy burgers.

Gluten Free

Here's what you need:

1 lb Ground Chicken Breast
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 T Chopped Fresh Basil Leaves
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
4 Sun-dried Tomatoes (Dry Packed), Chopped
2 Egg Whites
1/3 C Brown Rice Krispies, Pulverized
1 t Lemon Juice
1-2 t Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 C Frozen Spinach
1/2 Yellow Onion, Chopped

Warm olive oil in pan--I used cast iron--on medium heat. When pan heats up, add onion, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Soften until onions are nearly translucent. Stir in basil, set aside.

Sautee-ing nicely, and smelling AMAZING.

Place ground chicken in to a medium sized mixing bowl. Add contents of pan and remaining ingredients. Stir.

Festive, isn't it?

Form patties. Cook patties until fluids run clear. When the burgers are cooked, sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese.

I served them on toasted buns with a light spread of olive oil mayo, torn romaine lettuce leaves and sliced tomatoes and a side of Food Should Taste Good sweet potato chips. It was a very happy meal.

Behold!

EXTREME close-up!

I realize for this to be *actual* caprese, it has to have mozzarella...but I ran out. Deal with it. :)

Glorious, Glorious Cheesecake

 Gluten-Free

It seems to be a tradition in my home for me to make Mother's Day dinner. For one reason or another my husband can't do it. This year I decided to keep the dinner simple (roasted chicken, whipped potatoes and a green salad) and serve a truly decadent dessert. This was my first attempt at a gluten-free cheesecake and I was so happy with how it turned out!

The little beauty cooling off.

Triple Chocolate Orange Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce 

I started by preparing a gluten-free brownie mix (Betty Crocker, it has chocolate chips) and spread it on the bottom of a greased spring-form pan.

Then I prepared the filling:

2 Packages Softened Reduced-Fat Cream Cheese
1 C Fat-Free Sour Cream
1 Egg
1/2 C Organic Cane Sugar
1 T All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
1 t Vanilla Extract
1/3 C Milk
2 t Orange Zest
A Squeeze of Fresh Orange Juice

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, egg, flour and sugar. Blend until smooth. Add vanilla, orange zest, orange juice and milk. Pour on top of brownie batter.

Place pan on jelly roll pan (deep cookie sheet) with 1/2 C water, replace water as it evaporates. Bake for 20 minutes at 375, and 350 for 20 minutes until knife comes out clean.

Gooey and delicious.

Every decadent cheesecake needs a sauce or topping. It's a fact. On the fly, I put together a strawberry sauce.

 

Strawberry Orange Sauce:

Hull and Slice 1 Carton Local Strawberries

1 T Organic Cane Sugar

1/4 C Fresh Orange Juice

Mix in medium bowl and let soak for at least 2 hours. The strawberries will break down a little and absorb some of the orange flavor.  

With all of the reduced and non-fat ingredients, I didn't feel guilty eating it. The cheesecake was light and fluffy, and the crust was delightfully gooey. It was the perfect combination.

Complete with the sauce and dark cacao shavings.

I'll give you a moment to let that sink in.

 Serve cold, and SAVOR. 

Coming next, those caprese chicken burgers I've been meaning to post!

A Thief In The Night

Hey, quick plug for my husband's band! If you like awesome American rock (occasionally inspired by the 1970's) you should check out Groove Thief! Solid musicianship, excellent songwriting, and these guys put on a heckuva show. It's perfect music for working out or driving around. I'm proud of my guys!

Here is a link to their first full album:

A Thief In The Night

Here is their official site: http://groovethief.webs.com/ 

You can find their music on CDBaby.com and iTunes. If you want me to send you an autographed copy ($10) let me know, we'll figure it out. :)

That's my superhot husband. My life is sweet.

Coming up next: my orange cheesecake with a gluten-free brownie crust. Stay tuned!

A Little Bit of Chocolate

Gluten-Free, Vegan

I don't know about you, but it takes everything in me to not stress eat. It's a major obstacle for me. This evening was rough, and after a busy and stressful week my sweet tooth was really aching. I decided to give in, but in a healthy way.

Here's what I came up with:

1 C Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/2 Banana
1/2 T  Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 t Agave Nectar
1/2 t Coconut Extract

 Blend until smooth. It comes out velvety, just sweet enough, and just a little coconutty. It was exactly what I wanted. I found a quiet corner and savored it. After that, and a few deep breaths, I felt worlds better. Best part? It was about 130 calories. You're welcome, friends.

More posts to come! Up next: a caprese chicken burger!