Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Drink up!

Tonight's meal: a blend of spinach, blueberries, mango, pecans, egg whites and cucumber. It looks muddy but just think "it's good for you".  I drank this in a Waterford Omega crystal glass to deflect attention away from how gross this looks.  In the end though, it was really good!

I gave up blending bananas because they are high in sugar. Farewell bananas. Le sigh.

Try this. . .

I have searching for a way to eat a salad without the desire to add salad dressing. Here is my solution: a bed of spinach topped with avocado, cucumber, and a three bean mix( black, pinto and light red beans). When i cooked the beans in my crock pot i added garlic powder. Chili seasoning, cumin, fresh ground pepper and kosher salt. To avoid a dry salad i added 1-2 cups of extra water so i would have extra liquid.

The salad was so good that I barely remember eating it. It devoured so fast!

Friday, February 15, 2013

The Glory of Pasta

I'm a pasta freak!  No doubt about it but I don't eat it nearly as often as I used to.  The picture seen here is of the pasta that I made prior to my kickboxing training session.  When I meet with the trainer I really need the energy to last through it so this time I made some pasta.  Sadly the workout was not meant to be for reasons described in my fitness blog fitnesslyfe.blogspot.com

I had fun making it but the truth is the ingredients came together because I am trying to eat all the food I have in the fridge before I make another dash to the grocery store to buy food that I probably won't get a chance to eat.

Black Bean Pasta
 
 
I should note that this pasta hit the spot and now has me rethinking my love of alfredo sauce.  Alfredo Sauce is not the representation of eating clean.  Had this been a totally clean pasta dish the beans would not have come from a can.  I am against eating foods out of cans but this time I did.  I needed something quick  and easy.
 
 
Pasta is the Yin to my Yang!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Yesterday Treat Day (or Cheat Day), Today Cheat Day!

I made Chicken nachos last night.  This was my response to the nacho recipe that was posted on the Coca-Cola website.  I was in fact calling out Coca-Cola because I knew I could make a plate of nachos that looked much more scrumptious then theirs, and I did but I don't have a picture. So technically I can't say a word until I post a picture! However today I am going to make them again and take a picture.

I would have taken a picture but I was more concerned with eating them than snapping a photo of them.  It was my treat day.  Actually it was more like a forbidden cheat day.  My nachos were topped, and in this order, with seasoned black beans, cheese, chicken,lettuce tomato, cilantro, onions guacamole and sour cream.  They were so good that I think I hurt myself trying to eat every ounce of what remained on my plate. 

I didn't feel too guilty about it when I woke up this morning because I'm going to hit the gym today after I finish my homework.  Right now I am sipping on a Nutri-Bullet mix of raw collard greens, banana, blueberries, blackberries and pomegranate. It's not too sweet which is good because I just finished devouring about eight marshmallow's for breakfast.  I know it's horrible but so is my sweet tooth.   It goes without saying that I have a lot of calories to burn at the gym today.

****
 
I didn't go to the gym today but I did make more nachos!  LOL.

 
 
There seems to be a common theme amongst my pictures, chicken, lettuce and tomatoes.


Tuesday, February 5, 2013

A little chocolate never hurts!

I took the chocolate thing to a whole new level in the last two days.  My mom sent me a box of See's and I begged her not to.  Well what was I supposed to do?  Send it back?  Of course not!  I shared some and ate a lot.  My stomach feels like a ton of bricks right now and if I don't go cycling tonight I'm going to be in big trouble not to mention the digestive problems (if you get my drift) I am experiencing. 

It's just not right that I fix some really great healthy meals and always end up going over board on the sweets.  Moderation is the key they say but I seem to disagree and I know a few other ladies who disagree.  Well, tomorrow is another day (God willing).  Tonight I shall cycle to make up for the calories I ingested.

*****
 
I am supposed to be doing homework right now and it involves researching a global company.  I selected Coca-Cola.  I came across a nacho recipe and got lost for a brief moment.  Okay here is the URL to the recipe but I'm going back to finish my homework.  By the way I think I could make a plate of nachos that looks better than those on the Coca-Cola website. 
 
Uh-oh I taste a challenge!!!
 
I will post the picture this weekend.  To be continued . . .
 
 
 
 


Saturday, February 2, 2013

It's Better With Protein

Today's Salad Ingredients


A good salad should always have fresh ingredients.  That is exactly why, when crafting my salads, I tend to shy away from using canned toppings such as canned beans and canned corn.  Today is no different.  I should note though that usually my salads include, at the most, five ingredients.  Today there were eight!
 
My meal tonight was a salad.  Toppings included grilled chicken breast, fresh edamame, vine ripened tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, carrot matchsticks, 3-bean mix (black, red and pinto) and lastly, feta cheese with tomato and basil.  My salad base was fresh romaine and organic spinach.  The salad dressing consisted of light balsamic vinaigrette.  A protein rich salad after a hard workout is the only way to go.
 
This salad had really good mouth feel.  There were several textures going on.  To further explain, I experienced the creamy avocado, tender beans, spinach and edemame and crunchiness from the romaine lettuce, cucumbers and carrots.  The diced tomatoes were very refreshing as they usually are when I include them as a topping to my salads.  I never scoop the center of the tomato out before cutting and/or including them in my salads.

I thoroughly enjoyed prepping and eating my salad.  It helps that it also looks good.  Right?
 
This salad shall be called "It's Better With Protein"








 

Friday, February 1, 2013

Oh how I love food!

It's no secret that I love food. I tell anyone who will listen.  I love to cook food, I love to look at food, I love to smell food.  I should have been a big girl in this life.  Had I not got back into fitness I probably would be.

I'm starting this blog because if I love food then I should have something to say about it. The places I go to eat and what it is I love to cook deserve some sort of honorable mention.  That is unless the establishment sucks.