CAFFEINE

This is a fun fact about me...I only recently (during the last 2 years) began drinking wine, coffee and tea. Wine is a post for another time. But coffee and tea have changed my life and I am positive they have also played a part in getting me into my best physical shape.

Christmas just ended and I was lucky enough to have an absolutely fabulous date! Oh my goodness! Well, we went dutch at Legal Sea Foods. We shared the Ahi tuna appetizer with extra wassabi and I had the salmon (shocker!) with steamed broccoli. My date had the halibut with steamed broccoli (cheese on the side which was not even touched). Then when the server came by with the dessert menu we perused it but decided to walk around the mall instead. If our desire to have something sweet was still there we would enjoy at a later time. It was during our after dinner mall stroll that I talked my gorgeous date into entering the Teavana store with me. Tea is one of my favorite things but my date had never had Teavana tea and thought that all tea was "gross". But one sip of the wonderfully warm samples changed her mind instantly. My date was my beautiful, sweet, smart older sister, Melissa and she was a changed woman! We proceeded to have an hour long conversation about tea with the workers in Teavana. I love tea because it warms me on cold nights, cools me on hot afternoons, peps me up and satisfies my sweet tooth. I was so excited to be able to share this new found healthy addiction of mine with my sister who now has the addiction in full swing. She bought the tea maker and a plethora of new morning and evening teas and agreed that strategically drinking tea could help curb her sweet tooth. We got the sweet Teavana tea makers to make us a cup of Caramel SeaSalt and Melissa immediately exclaimed that it could work for her instead of dessert. Well there you go. Tea can save you 300-500 or more calories! That was an herbal tea. I like to drink Mate or black teas in the morning to give me some caffeine. But as the ever informative Teavana workers stated, our bodies treat the caffeine in tea differently than the caffeine found in coffee. My wonderful Mom is allergic to caffeine in coffee...makes her stay up like FOREVER but she can drink tea so that is definite proof that (at least some) bodies use the caffeine differently.  

So at 2:15 when my kids come home from school and now during the same time during Christmas break I have my tea break while they have a humongous, healthy snack. I often have my mid afternoon snack with them usually consisting of an apple and almond butter or blueberries and Greek yogurt. My sister could not believe the tea she tasted was absolutely calorie free. Tea: a wonderful way to add spice to your life, decrease your sweet tooth, curb your hunger, give your body antioxidants it needs and relax! Enjoy a morning, afternoon and evening cup....its on sale right NOW at Teavana and online at 

Teavana.com (some of my very favorite flavors are 75% off!!!!! Message me if you need help or advice about ordering. It is pricey but worth it and most can be re-brewed!).

I realize this picture has nothing to do with tea to the average onlooker. But I had just finished a fabulous cup of tea when I found these fabulous red shoes while out with my sweet Annika! For some crazy reason my sister and I didnt take any pictures during our date. Probably because it felt good not to worry about anything and probably also because between the 2 of us we have 6 kids and are always taking pictures of them.

Order your super flavorful tea at Teavana.com 

Yummy, Fast and Healthy Turkey Burgers

Ahhhh, lunch! While breakfast is my very favorite meal of the day lunch comes in a close second. On the menu today is 99% lean scallion turkey burgers. Again I have turned to my local Trader Joes for my lean ground turkey. It takes me about 22 minutes to get to the closest Traders but once I'm there it's worth every minute in the car! As you know by now I like to prepare my own foods and create my own recipes of my favorite restaurant and store bought foods. I challenge any restaurant with this recipe! Yes, it's THAT good! But it is spicy so my 3 sweet kiddo testers are out of a job with this one.
Healthy, Spicy Turkey Burger Recipe:
1 lb extra lean ground turkey (99% lean!)
2 eggs
5 scallions finely chopped (use the whole thing except the roots part)
2 T ground flaxseed
2 T wheat germ
2 T Parmesan cheese grated
1 T Italian seasoning
1 T Fresh Horseradish (Trader Joe's is VERY potent!)
1 t Mexican style chili powder

Freshly ground pepper (to taste)
Directions:
Mix everything well. Form into patties any size you want. I make mine the size of a piece of bread so it fits nicely on toast. Cook on a pan that has been sprayed with non stick spray. Cook about 3-5 min on each side (depends on size and thickness of your meat of course). Place on top of a piece of toast and some spinach or lettuce. I used some fresh horseradish to add another zing. Yummy! Enjoy and tell me what you think! I could just eat these all day!

Super Duper Easy High Protein Bars Nut Free Version!

Just like everyone else in the world I love a good, quick grab and go snack. But I prefer my snacks to be loaded with protein and have only the cleanest, healthiest carbohydrates. Thats how I came up with my super duper easy protein bars. Almonds and peanuts are my go to nuts for quick snacks so of course I looked to those 2 for my protein bars. But one of my best friends has a nut allergy and wanted to try some of my high protein bars.

So if you have a nut allergy or know someone who does you can still make these high quality, high protein bars for them. And there is not any cooking involved so this is a perfect recipe for kids to make on their own! Below you will find the recipe for the nut free version and the extra nutty version for you nutty characters. Enjoy!

Nut Free High Protein Bars
1/2 Cup quick oats
4 scoops whey protein powder (I used vanilla)
1/2 Cup milk or coconut milk
2 T Sunbutter (sunflower seed butter...check the label to be sure it is 100% nut free)
Optional 1/3 C dried cranberries or raisins
Directions: Stir together all ingredients until well mixed. Spread evenly in a small container and put in fridge or freezer for 30 minutes. Take it out of freezer and cut into 5 or 6 bars. Individually wrap each bar using wax paper (aluminum foil sticks we found). Store individually wrapped bars in an air tight container or zip lock bag. I love the way these taste stored in the freezer but you can store in fridge if you'd rather. Grab and go and Enjoy!

If you would like the nutty way here is that recipe:
1/2 C quick oats
4 scoops whey protein powde
2 T natural peanut butter
1/2 C almond milk
(
Optional: 1/3 C sliced, toasted, slivered almonds
Directions: Mix well and spread into a small container and place in freezer. Remove from freezer after 30 min and cut into 5 or 6 bars. Individually wrap the bars and store in your fridge. Enjoy!!!!

Thank you!

Inspiration

I am a lucky woman but I have been caught up in the daily grind. Its hard to pinpoint why exactly but I have been lacking motivation lately. But today I was given a compliment that really motivated me. A friend told me that one of my posts "inspired her". It felt so good to hear that! It is all I want to do....but don't we all? I realized when she said that that I have been lacking my own inner inspiration and motivation. But just like that, quick like lightening from nice words and a genuine smile my motivation and inspiration are back. She thinks I inspired her? It is words from others, nice smiles, and kind gestures that keep me going. So right back at you fitness babe....YOU inspired me! Thank you so very much for the compliment and for letting me know that my little words have made a difference in your life. You rock!

Save Calories and Money at the Movies!!!!!!

Movie Munching

Last Friday night a friend and I brought 7 children to see the movie Hotel Transylvania (AWESOME movie by the way!). Before leaving our house for the movie the kids and I packed our movie bags. Each child had a snack mix as well as his or her own water bottle to bring into the movie. Sorry movie theaters but America's wallets and waistlines cannot stand your over priced and unhealthy food choices! 

The snacks that I packed for my friend and myself were a baggy each of celery, freshly picked apples for a good crunch, dry roasted edamame for a salty protein snack and of course water and green tea to drink. I always pack my own snacks and bring them anywhere and everywhere I go. I think this all started because I have been "thrifty" my whole life. Also, I have always enjoyed making my own foods instead of relying on foods to purchase in public which may or may not be healthy and are most likely extremely over priced. I didn't think twice about my movie going snack bags until my girlfriend looked at me square in the eyes after leaving the movie and said, "Alaina, You just changed my whole movie going experience!". I asked her what she meant by such an exclamation and she explained that she ALWAYS orders a large popcorn for herself and finishes the entire tub by the end of the movie. She told me that she liked my snacks and felt cleaner after leaving the movie instead of mad at herself for devouring the tub of movie theater popcorn. I was thrilled to hear this of course! 

Another thing I would like to revisit about watching TV or a movie is fidgeting. I absolutely love watching my 5 year old at the movie theater. All 3 of my kids have a ton of energy and are natural movers but he always goes up and down in his seat when he is excited about the movie and moves pretty much any time he sits down (not in an annoying way...I assure you ;-). So while you watch a movie and enjoy your healthy snack do some inner thigh squeezes or some ab crunches while you sit. Wiggle in your seat, laugh, cry and enjoy your time but sit still?....nah, save that for when you sleep!

Check out that protein and fiber!!! They are yummy too!

Its a Miracle!

A Noodle Worth Talking About

I absolutely love Asian food! Yummy noodles smothered with spicy peanut sauce, covered in tons of chicken or tofu and mixed vegetables is definitely one of my favorite meals. But now I have finally found a noodle that I do not have to think twice about eating. The Miracle Noodle may very well be close to a miracle in my book! The directions on the package tell you exactly how to prepare them and it is easier than easy! Just open the package, rinse the noodles, par boil them for 1 minute, drain and dry on paper towels and prepare the way you would any other noodle. In my case I was in the mood for some Asian style so I added a tiny bit of a nice, spicy peanut sauce and stir fried tofu coated in nutritional yeast. It was very flavorful and fulfilled my noodle desire while providing me 0 calories. Yummy!  Click here to find out more about the Miracle Noodle. The funny thing is that the package says 2.5 servings per package but if it is 0 calories who really cares if you eat the whole bag?

Directions are easy! Drain and rinse, par boil for 1 minute, drain and dry.

They have very similar consistency to regular angel hair pasta.

This is the peanut sauce I used...Yummy and so versatile. 

Tofu over Miracle Noodles in the bowl on the left. The bowl on the right is tofu topped with nutritional yeast.

Get your salt fix...the kale way!

Kale Chips....mmm mmm!

Ahhh, its so very close to fall. The crisp mornings running out the door to catch the bus and the sunny afternoons running up the hill from the bus and into the kitchen door make it even more fun to make healthy favorites for my family. My now kindergartner and second grader always come home very thirsty and extremely hungry. Thankfully we have some down time when they get home to enjoy each other and have a big, hearty snack which typically turns into a very early dinner. Today we made kale chips...their way. The boys came home to a bowl of already made kale chips and a huge bunch of kale ready to be prepped by them to make into more chips. They love to eat and thankfully all 3 of my children love to cook. So as Will finished his homework Dean washed, trimmed, tore, salted and sprayed the kale. When it was done we all enjoyed a healthy, fun snack. We were having so much fun cooking that we kept going and prepared our dinner's main course of salmon cakes. I will post that protein, Omega 3 rich recipe later in the week. Just a little teaser....the kids LOVED the salmon cakes too! Score for Mom! High 5's for me!

For the recipe all you need is a bunch of kale that has been washed and dried very well, olive oil spray, salt and pepper!

Just tear the leaves off of the stem, spray the pan with olive oil, then lay the kale in a single layer. Spray a light coating of olive oil on top of the kale, sprinkle salt, pepper and any other seasonings you like (also good with Parmesan cheese!). 

Put in the oven at 350* for 10-15 minutes or until the edges curl and each leaf is very crisp....so crisp it almost melts in your mouth.

Then ENJOY! It is salty and crispy like popcorn but  with tons of vitamins!

Tasty Spicy Pumpkin Muffins❤❤

My very toughest critics just named these gluten free pumpkin spice muffins. My good friend's daughter cannot have anything with gluten so I just whipped these pumpkin spice muffins up for her. I also made them sugar free and only used 1/4 cup olive oil for the entire 24 big muffins. Here is the recipe. I had one (ok ok I had 2... I must tell the truth!) right out of the oven, I cut the muffins in half horizontally and smeared about 2 teaspoons natural peanut butter for my children. I had natural almond butter with my muffins. Yummy!

Tasty Spicy Pumpkin Muffins:
2 3/4 Cup quinoa flour
1/4 Cup coconut flour
1 t baking powder
2 t baking soda
2 T cinnamon
2 t nutmeg
1/2 t ginger
1 t salt
2 T pure cocoa
1/4 C olive oil
3 C pure pumpkin
2 t pure vanilla
4 eggs
2 droppers full pure stevia
1 C pure applesauce
Directions:
Over 350• Spray muffin tin with non stick spray and set aside. In medium sized bowl mIx first 9 ingredients. In separate large bowl mix last 6 ingredients until well mixed. Gently fold dry ingredients into the moist ingredients in larger bowl. Mix only until combined, it will be thick and lumpy. Full each muffin tin 2/3 full. Bake for 12-15 min or until toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake. Best right from the oven with peanut butter or almond butter. Enjoy!

Stay tuned.... It's fall and my German Apple Cake is super tasty too!

Time Is On Your Side

Give Me A Minute!

It costs nothing, it creates bonds, it changes everything...its Time. I heard so many things that made me want to create a new post today but it was 2 particular people who said 2 particular things to me that really made me run to the computer to jot down my thoughts. I'll start with a big one, "Eating well is really tough, isn't it, Alaina?". You know what, it may be a little more time consuming to make a salad then to open up a tin can or rip open a candy bar and toss it in your mouth but with some planning and thinking ahead eating healthfully can be just as fast. Planning is a healthy eater's best friend. Time is on your side if you think ahead. My Mama always said, "You make time for what you want...what is important to you" and she is right. I plan play times, reading times, home work time, exercise times and relaxing times with my children. I want to eat healthfully so I plan my family meals in advance. I also plan exercising into my day each and every day. At the moment I am not overly worried about my messy house so I have planned minimal time to give it the deep clean that it truly needs. When you think about your week, all the appointments, school work, work, and fun to be had also plan your meals. Make a list of must have on hand foods for your refrigerator and make sure to stock up before Monday morning comes. My top 5 must have foods are #1 Eggs, #2 Salad, #3 Salsa, #4 Fish and #5 Blueberries. These are the top 5 foods consumed in my home by my 3 kids and me. With a little preparation on Sunday night I save calories and add nutrients for those times when we are all starving and in need of some "fast food". In my case fast food for the kids tends to be carrots, broccoli and hummus and for me its celery and salsa. Make sure that you spend a little time on Sunday night preparing for your busy week ahead. It will save you time throughout the week and save your waistline at the same time. While you are at it schedule exercising into your daily calendar and stick to it. If you like lists then create one like I do each morning. My to do list is always on the back of already used paper and always starts like this:

1. Wake up

2. Brush Teeth

3. Work out

etc etc etc.........

I always write "wake up" first so that I can wake up and immediately check one thing off of my list. I am a goal oriented person, competitive in nature and I like to be able to immediately check something off my list and the first 2 are simple and fast!

Thank you for taking using one of your precious gifts to read what I have to say. Your time is so valuable and so is your health!

Cha Cha Cha chia seeds!

My new favorite addition to Greek yogurt, salads, tofu, chicken, tuna and salmon..... Chia seeds! Chia seeds are like little power punches to your body with 70 calories, 6 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein and almost 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids. I absolutely love the little crunch and texture that they add to my favorite foods (similar texture to sesame seeds). So go buy some Chia seeds and add more nutrients to your favorite foods!

Frozen Goodness!!!!!!

A Sweet Protein Treat

I have had an amazing summer and it is not over yet! Kentucky and Cape Cod have been 2 of our destinations. I was even able to spend some time in Provincetown at the very tip of Cape Cod and home to my very favorite beach ever, Race Point Beach. The sand there is like none other. It is so thick and coarse and coated in some kind of oil. I never bring chairs or towels to that beach because I like to lay in the sand and have it fall right off of me when I stand up. I am convinced that some good doses of that sand can take years off my life (or anyone's life....but that is just my opinion because it feels so great!). Plus, every time I have been there I see either seals or whales or both! It is truly an amazing, magical place especially when shared with the ones you love! While in Provincetown last week we were treated to some amazing culinary delights. The Red Inn on the quiet West end of Commercial Street was one of our favorite destinations for delightful drinks, fabulous fish and superb service! Lorraine's Cafe served us wonderfully spicy salsa, fresh swordfish salads, fish tacos and a full bodied Pinot Noir whose name I cannot remember. And The Mews on the other end of Commercial Street was our last culinary treat. All of that amazing eating in Provincetown was a treat to my palate but watching everyone walk by with cold, creamy ice cream cones all day long had me excited to mix up some frozen protein treats for the family after our vacations ended. 

Race Point Beach!!!!!!!

As you know I love Greek yogurt and eat a serving (at least) every day! Today I whipped up a frozen treat that is packed with protein and flavor! I hope you like it. Here is the recipe:

Bikini Frozen Yogurt (makes 1 serving)

1/2 Cup plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon pure almond butter

1/4 Cup blueberries (I wash and dry my blueberries and put them directly in my freezer! Makes them better summertime treats!)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (I use very potent Watkins brand, use more if your cinnamon is just ho hum)

1 teaspoon Chia Seeds (amazing source of protein, fiber and Omega 3!)

1 teaspoon ground flaxseeds

Directions: Mix all ingredients in a little bowl. (I use little containers with lids from my favorite cottage cheese (see picture) which helps me with serving size since I tend to go over board with my Greek yogurt treats). Put  lid on yogurt and put your serving of Bikini Frozen Yogurt into the freezer. Freeze for 30- 45 minutes or until desired frozen consistency. I sprinkle mine with 1 more sprinkle of cinnamon before I eat it. Yummy, fulfilling, creamy and full of protein! 

The finished Bikini Frozen Yogurt mixed and frozen in individual cup with lid. 

Back to Nature Diet Plan

Thank you for the blog request, Patrick! The Paleo Diet could and would work for most people.... For sure a fabulous recommendation of topics and diet regimes. However, without even purchasing a book on the topic or reading too much into the diet plan I think it's safe to say: shop along the perimeter of the grocery store and do not eat anything that comes in a wrapper, package or anything shiny. Really when you think about it the food we are meant to eat: fruits, veggies, meat, chicken, fish, whole grains, dairy, etc... All of these foods are caveman foods. Foods that have been available since the beginning of time. Soda, chemicals, processes foods, packaged items, all the foods that manufacturers make a killing on are a relatively new phenomenon. One of my brilliant University of Georgia Food Science professors once said, "Never eat anything your great Grandma would not recognize!". Now that is good, noble advice. The population during that generation was so busy working with their bodies that they had to have good, solid nutrients to keep their bodies running like finely tuned machines. If someone gave a farmer a Poptart that farmer would not only have no clue what it was but he would not want the quick, short lived, quickly burned and wasted energy it provided. Processed foods are easy, quick and convenient. But so are the healthy ones if given 5 minutes of prep time. Today I had an appointment during lunchtime and I knew I would not be near a food source if I were to get hungry. I quickly grabbed one of my pre packaged bags of celery from the fridge. Then when I was in the car (I always keep healthy snacks in the car!) I added 1/2 cup roasted edamame to the Baggie and had a fabulous little snack! A very wise man often says to me, "if you can predict it then you can avoid it". If you know that you are typically hungry around 12 noon and you will not be near your kitchen then grab some healthy alternatives from your kitchen. Do not ever rely on fast food or packaged convenience foods to give you the clean burning fuel you need to keep going and moving the way you want. And please realize that canned items like sodas, coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew and the like are useless calories taking up space in an otherwise empty canvas of a stomach. Think about it this way..... How strange would it be to see a monkey or gorilla at the zoo drinking a Mountain Dew or eating a packaged item. It would never happen! But they are cousins of ours... We feed them vegetables, fruits, whole grains and the quality foods that we need to keep our bodies moving and performing the way we need and expect. Do yourself a favor and be sure to create your own food plan where you only eat real foods that can be purchased typically on the outer perimeter of grocery stores. Real foods that will give you the real energy you need and crave! Paleo diet has some wonderful recipes and fabulous guidelines for sure. The back to basics mentality being the most important aspect of it all. Let me know what new recipes you find and new snacks you are trying. We all have one chance at life......deciding to live healthfully is truly a lifelong process but every day it is worth it! You can do it!

Super Hummus

Oh my gosh! I have missed writing to all of you out in Internet land. It has been a very busy few weeks for me and my family. Our trip to Kentucky was a lot of fun...it is safe to say we enjoyed every minute. I loved cooking for my sister and Mom while my wonderful, beautiful, sweet nieces played with my 3 cuties.

Cooking is such an art form that many times I feel like I have cheated if I rush through it but that is the reality many nights with 3 hungry little bird mouths chirping loudly for their food. But today I had a good 15 minutes in which to prepare my lunch. After looking in the cabinets and refrigerator I quickly realized I didn't have much to work with. You will not believe this but I have not had salsa in at least 3 days...I know...the jitters will probably start soon, right?! So my favorite ingredient was out of the running for my lunch but then I spied a gorgeous can of organic Garbanzo Beans and decided to make hummus to go with the sparse selection of cut up vegetables I have left in the fridge (it is time to go to the grocery but I will save that for tomorrow...Trader Joe's morning!). I have been on a yellow mustard kick and you know how much I love nutritional yeast so I just started mixing it all up and created a hummus that I really liked. It is very different with the nutritional yeast added but that kicks the protein up another notch making the hummus even healthier!

Here is the recipe for Bikini Lady's Super Power Hummus:

1 Can Garbanzo Beans (or Chick Peas depending on where you are from ;-)

1 T yellow mustard

Garlic and lots of it (but I was out of fresh....a travesty I know) I used 1t garlic powder

1/8 t garlic salt (just 1 tiny shake really)

2 T nutritional yeast

water from garbanzo bean can (save from draining)

Directions:

Drain garbanzo beans and reserve the drained garbanzo bean can water. Rinse the beans. Put the beans and all other ingredients except the water from the can into your blender or food processor. Add the drained water 1 T at a time until you get the consistency you desire. I like my hummus teetering on the thick side since I like it to stay on my celery when I dip. Pulse or blend the mixture until thoroughly mixed and all the garbanzo beans are completely chopped up into a paste. Enjoy with any cut up veggies you have on hand. My favorites are celery, any color pepper and cut up cucumbers. Yummy and made from foods I had in my kitchen.

Perception is Key

While on vacation with family I acquired a new client... The best one I could ever have. That client, let's call her Ashley, wants to lose weight and live a healthier life style. She is ready for a change, committed to working with me and is excited for her journey. I was able to do some menu planning and cooking for her while we were away. As you know salmon is one of my top 3 favorite foods (after salsa and EGGS!) and I let Ashley know that the dinner I was making her was my own recipe that I call "skillet salmon salad cupcake style". She looked somewhat less than thrilled but agreed to watch me cook and she even ended up taking notes. I coked salmon in a skillet with a tiny bit of olive oil and a good amount of Cupcake Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon over medium heat on an electric stovetop (hey... I was on vacation!). She scowled when I poured that red wine on our beautiful, pink fish but she kept watching. While the salmon was sizzling I cut up veggies for our salad and plated our salads. I tossed the salads onto small lunch sized plates and gently laid the salmon on top of both of our salads. When I presented the finished meal to Ashley she looked at the heaping lettuce and mixed greens, the diced and sliced vegetables and the steaming hot salmon and said, "Wow, I will never be able to eat all of that!". But if I had placed that same exact meal on a large dinner plate and the meal didn't fill the whole plate Ashley may not have been as mentally satisfied initially. So much of life is based on perception. Have you ever noticed the arrow in the FedEx name on the trucks as they zoom by you on the road? After my mom pointed that out to me I cannot look at their trucks without seeing it. The moral of this story?..... Fill your small salad plate overflowing with healthy foods, excite your pallet with new taste sensations. Perceive life in a positive manner and you will get positively what you want from it. Ashley has lost 7 pounds so far and that was after meal planning and cooking with me for just 6 days! I am so happy for her and her new perception of food, health and life.
Every day is like the bike ride I took while at my mom's house. The up hills were the biggest I have ever biked but the whole time I sweated and panted to the top of each hill I kept telling myself that the down hill thrill was going to be worth the uphill kill and it was!

Vacation Bikini Style!
Welcome to summer and the season of beach vacations, swimming celebrations and a reason to celebrate....every night! Celebrating is typically centered around food. Think about it. Want to come to my birthday party and have broccoli? Probably not and it is always someone's birthday. There is always a reason to celebrate with 1 more day of having a double scoop of ice cream. I'm not telling you to forget about birthday parties or ice cream cones with your kids while your feet dangle in the water on a warm summer evening but I am telling you that as an adult you have to remember that your goal is to NOT grow. You have to pick and choose when you celebrate and make a conscious effort to only stray from your grown up, adult way of eating (aka healthy!) once a week or so. I don't want to paint a bleak picture of your eating future but there is a reason kids crave fatty, sugary foods.... Because they need to grow. Our job is to feed our kids the healthiest versions of their cravings as possible while at the same time teaching them to enjoy the finer things in life like vegetables, fruits, seafood etc. You owe it to yourself to put clean fuel into your body too.

I am on vacation with my children right now and it is harder than ever for me to pass on the ravioli, mac and cheese, ice cream, cookies, and the other foods that are offered to me and my children by caring family members but I know I will be in my bikini almost every day this summer and I picture that in my head when I gratefully decline the plate of buttered pasta being passed around the dinner table. Ask your friends and family for support in your healthy eating endeavors. Hopefully they will be supportive and may even want to emulate your new choices. I do not want to be difficult or picky but I do not always eat the same foods that the rest of the family is having because I know what fuels (foods) work the best for my body. So thank you to my caring family for being supportive of my lifestyle and for wanting to jump on the healthy bandwagon with me. Together we will make it fun and tasty....bikini style!

Good Food Eye Level

You know about grocery stores, right? They put all the healthy foods on the perimeter of the store so that we as consumers have to make an effort to "just run in for milk, bread and eggs". They want you to pass by very tempting, typically over priced and unhealthy offers on your way to get to the healthy, perishable foods you need to replenish weekly. And to make matters worse oftentimes they put the good for you stuff higher or lower on the shelves and the stuff THEY want you to buy right in front of your face at eye level. Resist that temptation when you go to the grocery...but where do you go even more often? Your own refrigerator! Use that psychology in your own kitchen especially in your refrigerator. Good for you, healthy foods should be right in front of your face at all times. On Sunday nights prepare for your busy week by cutting up fresh veggies for snacks and put them in a clear container right at your eye level in the fridge so those beautiful, colorful cut up veggies are screaming in your face "eat me, eat me!".

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for....BISON!

Ask my parents, I have never been a fan of hamburgers. I have never liked the grainy taste of the meat nor the little fatty pebbles that I could feel between my teeth. I am not high maintenance by any means but when attending a summer time cook out or BBQ I am typically a little stuck since I do not like hamburgers or hot dogs. But along came my friend, the largest land mammal in North America, Bison! 

Bison is lower in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol than beef and is extremely high in protein and iron. And an added bonus for me: I like the taste of bison and I do not like the taste of beef. I like ground bison, it can be purchased at any health food store and ordered online. This week I bought 1 pound of bison, separated it into 4 servings, and froze them in individual portions. I ended up eating and sharing all 4 bison burgers this week but freezing into individual servings is great for portion control and it keeps food fresher longer.

Here is a look into the stages of my preparation of bison. I think bison has a richer flavor than beef so I do not put anything on the meat before I grill it. Some would say rub a little salt and pepper on it to bring out the flavor but I say why mess with it? 

(Evidently for a few moments on 6-12 I thought it was 2010)

 The picture below makes it hard to tell what exactly I did with the bison after grilling it but I cut it into thin strips and then placed the strips on top of my mixed greens, cucumbers, egg, tomatoes, and peppers salad. Then I topped it with fresh salsa and a tablespoon of nutritional yeast. A perfect meal for a summer's night! Plus, when someone asks what you had for dinner last night it feels really good and very cool to puff up your chest a bit higher and exclaim "BISON!". 

A company called American Gourmet claims bison is 97% fat free and contains 40% more protein than ground beef. I hope that is true! If you can't find bison in your local stores order it from American Gourmet:

http://www.americangourmet.net/index.html

Nuts about Nuts

I could seriously live on nuts alone! I mean, really! Nuts can be salty, sweet, tangy, crunchy, chewy and pretty much any describing word imaginable! I prefer mine without any additions...just plain old perfect NUTS! BUT I do toast them almost every time I eat them. Tonight I had a truly sweet, wonderful, beautiful house guest over for dinner and after our meal of grilled bison over a bed of mixed greens, cucumbers, red peppers, celery, fresh salsa and nutritional yeast (I will post about bison this week...I PROMISE!) she sampled some of my baked goods. She tried my coconut Bailey's Irish Cream Belgium waffles, mini pumpkin currant muffins, and toasted walnut cinnamon banana bread. She said she loved all of my baked goods but then we got onto the topic of toasted nuts. She had never toasted her nuts before eating them. So we did a little test. I had her eat 2 plain, unsalted, almonds. Then I microwaved a few almonds in a single layer on a microwave safe plate for about a minute and a half. She tasted the toasted almonds and could not believe they were even the same nut. She agreed with me that toasting the almonds (Yes, even in the microwave!) made a deeper, more flavorful nut. She even exclaimed, "It doesn't even taste like the same nut!". I wish we did the experiment with walnuts or pecans....in my opinion 2 much more flavorful, fuller bodied nuts but I used up the last of my walnut supply baking my tasty banana bread. So the moral of the story is that I wanted to make sure that all of you out in bikini baking land know to toast your nuts! Add nuts to your morning oatmeal, Greek yogurt, fruit mixtures, salads, baked goods, chicken and fish recipes but make sure you toast them first to get that added flavor! Enjoy!

Play Like a Kid

Many communities are welcoming the end of school and the beginning of summer vacation. Your local parks are a FREE, FUN, FANTASTIC way to spend some outdoor time. Play with your kids and play like a kid! You know your desire to keep on playing is one of the reasons you wanted to have kids in the first place! Parks built this decade are built to withstand adult weight and are safe for us! Have fun, work your muscles and make your kids laugh!

Multitasking at its Best

When people talk to me I listen and I try to remember good advice from good people. I also make mental notes when I observe different behaviors. While visiting Kentucky when I was a kid, in the evenings and after a good, Southern super my Grandma Frances always used to clean the kitchen, start the dishwasher (when she finally got a dishwasher) and shout, "Kitchen is closed!". That was always like nails on a chalkboard to me back then but now I get it, appreciate it and do it in my own home. But one very healthy couple (and the consistently thin woman I wrote about a few weeks ago is part of this couple!) I know does something else to signify the ending of evening dining. Both the husband and the wife immediately brush their teeth after they are finished with any meal. This may not seem like a big deal to most people but before observing them during their post dinner ritual I always waited to brush my teeth until 5 minutes before my head hit the pillow...hours after finishing my last bite of food. Now, that healthy couple may have started to brush their teeth immediately after eating based on the recommendation of their dentist but that good dental habit has turned into a good waist line habit as well. Brushing teeth after eating any meal can mentally and physically turn you off of eating again until you are truly hungry. The minty flavor from the toothpaste combined with your brushing effort and clean mouth takes a lot of the desire to late night nosh away when those nighttime snack commercials come on during your favorite TV show. And guess what, the consistently thin woman also does LUNGES while she brushes her teeth! She brushes her teeth at least 3 times a day and has a timer on her electric tooth brush for 2 minutes. So she is cleaning her teeth, mentally making a note to stop eating AND doing lunges at the same time! Hows that for multitasking?! 

Protein Fiber Super Minis

Last week's warm beach weather prompted me to experiment and make some protein packed tasty mini muffins. But it wasn't until I was told how good they are by my love and to add them to my blog that I thought about sharing the recipe. I just love positive praise and I am always thrilled when my baking is enjoyed by others. These mini muffins are super duper hearty in a good way. I didn't add any sugar but instead used liquid stevia which I bought in my local health food store. Stevia is a natural, super sweet, 0 calorie way to sweeten anything from oatmeal to baked goods to coffee. I have unflavored stevia, cinnamon and english toffee flavored stevia. Experiment with your baked goods to decrease your sugar intake for a lower calorie, healthier life.

Protein Fiber Super Mini Recipe:

1 Cup oatmeal

1 Cup Almond milk Coconut Milk Blend (found in healthy section of my local Stop and Shop grocery store)
1 Small container Plain Non-fat Greek Yogurt (6 oz.)

1/2 C Wheat Chex cereal

1 dropper full of liquid stevia (I used unflavored for this recipe)

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed

1 Cup coconut flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

4 eggs

2 scoops protein powder (I use Aria Vanilla flavored)

1 Cup Pure Pumpkin (found in baking aisle of grocery store. I used Libby's 100% pure pumpkin)
1/2 C Natural Applesauce (means NO sugar added. Ingredients should say "apples, water")
Add Ins:
3/4 Cup sweetened coconut (optional)

1 Cup raisins (or craisins or any cut up dried fruit)

1 Cup toasted nuts (toasted walnuts are my favorite! Microwave nuts in single layer for 21/2-3 min on high power to get a very flavorful nut!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*. Spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray. Mix oatmeal, almond milk, Greek yogurt, wheat Chex, stevia and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl. Let sit for a few minutes to soften the cereal completely, usually about 10 min. Meanwhile mix coconut flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, flaxseed and eggs in a large bowl. Then mix pumpkin and applesauce into coconut flour mixture. Fold cereal/pumpkin mixture into the coconut flour mixture and mix well. It will be stiff. Once everything is well mixed add your favorite add ins, coconut, raisins, nuts or even mini chocolate chips or frozen blueberries. Spoon into mini muffin tin and bake for 10-14 min or until set in the middle. Let cool in pan for 2 min and then ENJOY!!!! They make fabulous snacks, breakfast or side item to any meal. Pack them for snacks to eat in the car...just make sure to remember them before walking out the door ;-)

Protein Fiber Super Minis! (Toasted coconut makes cool spikes on the minis)

Stevia collection....great sugar substitute!

Freeze Your Fun

Thankfully, as I have aged so has my appreciation of the finer things in life: wine being one of the biggies. And after a long day of good fun, healthy eating and hard exercise a nice glass of wine is a welcomed sight.   But more often than not my white wines warm quicker than I can drink them (shocking I know). So I do what my beautiful, wine savvy friend, Elissa, does and I add some frozen grapes to my wine. Not only do the frozen grapes keep the wine cooler longer but they are also a fabulous, sweet ending to the drink.

To freeze grapes simply wash and dry the grapes and freeze in an airtight container for at least 3 hours. Frozen grapes are also a sweet treat for kids on a warm summer night! I prefer frozen red grapes over white/green ones...red grapes tend to be sweeter and have a thinner skin. Enjoy!

Frozen red grapes in a light Pinot Grigio

Gorgeous friend Laura and the Bikini Baking Lady enjoying a well-deserved glass of wine with frozen red grapes. YUMMY!

Find Your Color

We have all heard "Go for the Burn!" from personal trainers and exercise videos but I think of exercise in a different way. When I am lifting weights or running and am ready to slow down I think of my muscles in colors. For me when I am still, calm and sitting down I am green. My muscles are relaxed and I am at ease with myself and the Earth. When I am playing with my kids, cleaning my house or walking around the block my muscles are blue, moving, engaged, but in a slow, easy fashion. When I am lifting weights I visualize or actually watch the muscle as it works. I see the outside of the muscle and visualize the actual muscle working and turning red. I go for RED. "Go for the Burn" is a helpful reminder for me but I take it one step further by trying to reach my burn color, red.

Much of life is attitude and the way we think about things. There are so many aspects in life that we cannot control. But 3 things that we can control each and every day are the way we think, how we move our bodies and what we put into our mouths as fuel. Waking up each day being thankful for what I have, the friends and family who love me and who I love helps me start the day on a positive note. So put on your smile, hug your loved ones, find your burn color and go for it!

Coconut Flour

I absolutely love baking! Muffins can be a healthy way to snack if made the right way. I have always been a big fan of whole wheat flour. But I prefer fewer carbohydrates in my snacks so I have been looking for a better way to make muffins and I found it! Coconut flour! It is gluten-free, high fiber, low carbohydrate, and high in protein. I found coconut flour easily at my local health food store (they know me in there now!). I love to make up my own recipes but I am new to coconut flour so I searched for some recipes and found a great one on the Quest Bar website. While we are talking about Quest Bars I will let you know that I think they are very good. VERY chewy but very good, high in protein, low in carbs, high in fiber. Check them out at the health food store too!

Click here for the coconut flour Pumpkin Muffin recipe!

Here is what the coconut flour container looks like and those are my pumpkin muffins on top. My kids loved them but they do love any of my pumpkin products and these muffins do have a strong pumpkin taste. YUMMY!

PUSH UPS BABY!

I woke up yesterday morning and did my usual 20 push ups right beside the bed. Then I went to definitions class at the YMCA. It was fabulous! I love how the instructors incorporate good, fun, fast music with a little cardio and a lot of muscle definition and weight lifting. Along with many other exercises in the hour long class we did 5 sets of 10 regular push ups alternated with 5 sets of 10 sit ups. Then we did 5 sets of 10 wide push ups with the same reps of leg lifts. Then last night before heading to bed I did 2 more sets of 20 push ups. So yesterday's push up total was 160! Those were not 160 push ups in a row but separated throughout the day. I believe that daily push ups help develop so many muscles in the arms, shoulders, back and core and I highly recommend getting on a daily push up regime if you are not already doing them. Start by doing as many as you can without stopping. Then take a 30 second rest and do as many as you can without stopping again. Work up to sets of 20 push ups and do them throughout the day. I think you will feel strong and powerful both mentally and physically. Push ups are a fabulous stress reliever! Don't get mad...get down and give me 20! And teach your kids how to do push ups! My kids think it is so funny to watch me do push ups...my 2 year old's favorite thing to do is climb on my back for a push up ride. Adding 34lbs to a push up REALLY challenges the body! 

Spice It Up!

Ahhhh, today is a beautiful Spring day in Massachusetts! When the weather is nice, the sun is out and more smiles are found it makes it even easier for me to eat healthfully. I thought I would share a product that I have grown to love this year. It is called Chef Macee Chipotle Concentrated. I bought it next to the salad items in my local Stop and Shop. I just used a few sprays on my boneless, skinless chicken breast and Portabella mushroom cap before grilling. It adds just the right amount of heat to chicken, mushrooms or any stir fry you make. I have also used it with tofu. I squeezed the tofu to dry it up a bit (extra firm tofu). Sprayed this on the tofu and sauteed it in a non-stick pan for a few minutes, then I added nutritional yeast (shocker!) and sauteed a bit longer, stirring constantly. Yummy! I love tofu too...more about tofu another time. Meanwhile, if you like a little Mexican seasoning try the Chef Macee concentrate. Let me know what you think!

Here is my lunch salad made with mixed greens, avocado, grilled chicken and portabella, nutritional yeast and fresh salsa:

Never Stop Moving

The consistently thinnest woman (same thin weight she has been since high school and she is over 50!) I have ever known is always moving. In the decades that I have known her I have noticed that she never stops moving and rarely sit down. This is something that has happened naturally to me as a full time Mom (notice I did not say "Stay Home Mom"....we DO NOT stay home! Whoever gave us that name should be kicked!). Another thing I noticed about this thin woman is that when she is sitting she is STILL moving! Fidgeting burns calories too! In Arnold Schwarzenegger's "Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding" he tells his bodybuilding readers NOT to fidget while sitting so as to not lose calories but to save those calories and fuel for weight lifting. Reading that information immediately made me become a toe tapping, leg kicking, fidgeting sitter. So stand when you can, fidget if you sit and lay down only at night when your head hits the pillow to burn calories even when you are not working out. 

Fasting

About a year ago I was at the gym and on the elliptical TV saw a young doctor talking about his new book called "The Flex Diet". I enjoy reading about food, fitness, exercise and the like so I kept watching the interview. I was impressed by the information I heard from the interview and immediately went on Amazon to buy the book. "The Flex Diet" by Dr. James Beckerman gives many good weight loss and overall health tips. Much of what I read in the book was not brand new to me but I appreciated the reminder and I liked the layout of his book, the easy food suggestions and quick recipes. One part in particular caught my attention because it was something I had never done before. Fasting was something I never thought I could do or would do. Why would anyone want to go an entire day without food? Dr. Beckerman writes that there is evidence that fasting can be a safe way to lose 1-2% of total body weight, slow the aging process, enhance sense of well-being and can be beneficial on the brain and heart. 

So I tried fasting after finishing the book for the first time. The biggest challenge I faced was that I am around food constantly. I have 3 kids who eat A LOT! And I absolutely love to make them healthy foods and when I make them healthy foods I want to eat those foods too. But what I found after my first fast was power. I felt in control of myself and my needs. For the first time in my life I looked at food in an entirely different light. As I stated in an earlier post....food is fuel.  Fasting for me is a reminder of that. I fast 1 day every 3 weeks. During my fast I drink a lot of ice water and I do not have any caffeine at all. No food, a lot of water and no caffeine help to make me tired at a decent hour so I typically also get extra rest on my fasting days. When I wake up the next morning I still do not have an incredible urge to eat. In fact I feel myself getting more full from less food. Its like my body's way of thanking me for remembering why we eat. 

I recommend "The Flex Diet" book to anyone who will listen to me. There are literally 200 healthful suggestions in it. Here is the link to buy your copy on Amazon:

The Flex Diet book by Dr. James Beckerman

Tomorrow's blog will be about exercise. But I feel like it wasn't until I had a better grasp on food and my eating style that I saw a major difference in my body and muscle tone. I will be fasting tomorrow. Not to punish myself for eating and drinking too much over the weekend but to remind myself that food is fuel. Don't worry, I have never fasted more than 1 day out of 21 days. Dr. Beckerman is a cardiologist so I feel confident in his advice. Another bonus of fasting 1 day every 3 weeks.....its FREE and you are saving money that day! Just put your savings to good use, new running shoes or a new workout shirt!


(And a DUH disclaimer... I know my readers are very smart but I want to sleep soundly tonight so I must add.....of course do not fast if you are taking any medications, pregnant or breast feeding. I do not even take my vitamins on fasting days because taking vitamins on an empty stomach always makes me feel sick.)  


UPDATE: I fasted beginning 6pm Monday night until right now, 8am Wednesday morning. I slept very well last night and did not have a strong desire to eat this morning. But I am going to Definitions class at the YMCA so I know I need a good, protein rich breakfast to get the most out of my workout. I thought ahead and made a high protein "Apple Breakfast Bake" last night. I have been researching high protein, low carbohydrate baked goods and came across this recipe from Quest Bar:


AMAZING Apple Breakfast Bake!


I RARELY follow a recipe to the T but I did with this one. And it paid off! I love it! So very rich with a strong cinnamon taste, a tiny bit of walnut crunch and sweet apple goodness all in one. The recipe says it serves 1 person but I cut a little less than half to start with and it filled me up very quickly. And like I said I made it last night, and heated it up for 30 seconds in the microwave this morning. YUMMY! Now I will have my raspberry riot tea (from Teavana) and a huge glass of ice water and be ready for the rest of my morning. Here is what my apple breakfast bake looked like this morning....and remember this is only half of the recipe so it is a little less than 150 calories!

Why "Bikini Baking"?

Bikini Baking is a concept and an idea. This has been a (thankfully) warmer than normal winter and springtime in New England. I have had the opportunity to get into my bikini a few times. While I was in my bikini I realized I did not want or crave unhealthy food choices. Now when I am hungry and want to eat my favorite high calorie foods with little nutritional value I picture myself in my bikini, wear workout clothes or wear my bikini and I am forced to think about food in a new light. Food is fuel for our bodies. It is only because we live in American and food is readily available (knock on wood) that we are able to eat often and pretty much any quantity we want. 

My children come home from school VERY hungry and I like to feed them very nutritious foods at this time since I know they will eat pretty much anything in sight or in reach between the hours of 2 and 3pm.  That being said I just created some healthy, high fiber, low fat, high protein mini muffins from ingredients I have at my home. I am a HUGE fan of Bob's  Red Mill products. They can be found at Stop and Shop (or any grocery in the healthy section), target, health food store. Christmas Tree Shops has a wonderful supply of Bob's Red Mill products and they are about half the cost of other stores!

Here are the ingredients I quickly pulled out of my cabinets:

 From left to right back row the ingredients are: Bob's Red Mill Ground flaxseeds, Bob's Red Mill baking powder, Skim milk, Wheat Chex, egg substitutes (like egg beaters), Quaker quick oats, Bob's Red Mill whole wheat pastry flour. Front row products are: Watkins Vanilla Double Strength, Watkins Purest Ground Cinnamon (Watkins products are wonderful! Sue Rhealt sells them if you live in Quincy!), Sweet Leaf (brand) liquid stevia cinnamon (found in health food store), and Greek Gods Non fat plain Greek yogurt (UGH, I am NOT a fan of this brand of Greek yogurt! That is why I would only bake with it and not eat it from the container. I like Chobani or Stop and Shop brand plain Greek yogurt only).

 The mini muffins needed a teeny tiny bit of kick so I added just 1/4 C of cinnamon chips and 1/4 C mini chocolate chips. Mixed ingredients and baked in my Pampered Chef non-stick mini muffin tin for 9 min at 350*.

My 5 year old LOVED them! He ate 3 mini muffins!

Do you want the recipe??????

My Power Breakfast!

This is one of my favorite ways to start the day! 1/2 Cup of egg substitute (like Egg Beaters), 1 Tablespoon of nutritional yeast and 1 Tablespoon salsa. I add nutritional yeast to eggs, popcorn and every salad I eat at home.  Nutritional yeast adds very few calories (about 27 calories per heaping tablespoon), but is high in protein, fiber, amino acids and B complex vitamins. Use it in place of  Parmesan cheese...it adds a slightly nutty, cheese flavor. I also mix nutritional yeast with salsa and dip celery in it as my afternoon snack. Let me know what you think! It can be purchased at any health food store (including Whole Foods).

Hello and welcome to Bikini Baking! I am an avid baker and the mother of 3 very active children ages 7, 5 and 2. I often get asked how I manage to bake so many goodies, raise 3 children and stay healthy so I decided to share some of my secrets in this blog.