The Bread Basket

One of the best parts of going out to eat at a restraunt is the bread basket.  It is also one of the hardest things to avoid.  The restraunts try to trick us by filling us up so much on bread that we don't finish our meal or are to full to eat it by the time its brough to the table.  Especially when they keep offering to bring you more.  These rolls and delicious breads are far from healthy.  They are made with simple and refined carbs and slathered in butter.  The butter used in these resturaunts is also the worst kind filled with cholesterol.  My favorite resturaunt is Texas Roadhouse.  I will admit I went there two weeks ago and literally ate 5 rolls with lots of butter.  I felt horrible afterwards.  I have been working extra hard in the gym this week and will continue to step it up.  So I am going back to sticking to my eat clean regimin NO CHEAT MEALS.  My brother called me to have dinner which is a very rare occasion.  Of course we chose Texas Roadhouse.  My first thought was how will I avoid the bread basket.  I did good not one piece and it was sitting at the table throughout the whole meal.  I also watched everyone else enjoy their loaded baked potatoes and french fries while I had steamed broccoli and carrots.  Must say I am very proud of myself.  I know I can avoid temptation.  If you know you can't avoid the bread with it sitting at the table just ask your waiter not to bring you any or only bring enough for the other people at your table.  It's tough believe me especially since bread is one of my BIGGEST weaknesses, but if I can do it so can you! You will feel much better later and can enjoy a glass of wine without feeling guilty!

Sesame Ginger Tilapia

1/4 cup sesame oil
1-2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. honey mustard
2 cloves garlic minced ( if using whole cloves chop it finely and sprinkle salt then mash with a large knife to mince)
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 Tilapia Fillets

Defrost tilapia fillets completely in the refrigerator.  Combine sesame oil, soy sauce, honey mustard, garlic, and ginger in a bowl.  Whisk ingredients together.  In a shallow baking dish place fillets and pour marinade over them.  Marinate in the refrigerator 4-5 hours.  Place on grill and grill until translucent pink fish turns white.  Keep a close eye on it, it will burn easy.  Place foil over the grill if needed.  The fish can also be baked at 325 for 20 minutes.

Pita Pizzas

Pre-heat oven 400
Makes one Serving

1 whole wheat pita
2 tbsp.  low sodium marinara sauce
5-6 slices of turkey pepperoni (can use regular pepperoni)
1/4 cup part skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup mushrooms (great source of protein)
1/4 cup olives
(olives and mushrooms are optional or use any vegi you like)

Place whole wheat pita on a cookie sheet. Layer sauce, cheese, pepperoni, and vegi's then bake for about 20 minutes.  For an even healthier kick leave out the pepperoni all together and add more vegetables.  Vegetables are a great source of complex carbs and protein!

This recipe came from my childhood actually I just put a healthy twist into it.  My parents made these for us all the time! Kids will love them too and it is a fun way to have them help in the kitchen.

39.5 Net Carbs
16 grams Protein

With any diet and exercise combo you should always mix things up a bit and throw new stuff into your routine.  If you do the same thing over and over again and cook the same thing over and over again your going to get bored.  Also your body gets into a routine and eventually your body will get used to the same exercises and you won't see the results that you did in the beginning.  Every three to four weeks try something new to shock your body.  Today I got up early and went to a spin/pilates fusion class! The pilates was intense and nothing like I expected it to be, but I think I found a new exercise that I will be adding to my plan.  I am always looking for new ways to focus my energy.  Cooking also helps me focus energy.  When I first started eating cleaner I was making the same things over and over and was getting tired of the same food combos.  Once I got the knowledge I needed I was able to mix things up and I am starting to come up with my own recipes.  I have a new one that I will be trying out soon and can't wait to share.  It is the weekend so indulge in a treat for your hard work throughout the week.  Whether it be a glass of wine, light beer, or a piece of cake at a birthday party don't deprive yourself but don't overdue it either.  Many people think well I worked hard all week I can over indulge on the weekend but realize that if you overdue it, it will through a wrench into your routine and set you back!  Also take your workout outside this weekend it looks like its going to be a beautiful day! Soak up some Vitamin D.

Oatmeal Protein Cookies

Preheat 300
Line Large Metal baking sheet with parchment paper

2 Cups Oatmeal (3 if your not using protein powder)
1 cup or 2 scoops of Vanilla Whey Protein powder
1 cup applesauce (less if you want crispier cookies)
1 cup organic brown sugar
6oz. Miniature Chocolate Chips
1 whole egg, 1 egg white
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Put 1 1/2 cups oatmeal (2 cups if using all 3 cups of oatmeal) in food processor and process until flour like.  Set aside remaining 1/2 cup unprocessed oatmeal aside.
Cream together applesauce and brown sugar then add egg and egg white and vanilla mix until well combined.
Add processed oatmeal, protein powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Mix well
Add remaining 1/2 cup unprocessed oatmeal and chocolate chips and fold into mixture.
Drop tablespoon size batter on parchement paper 2 inches apart (they will spread out)  Bake until golden brown.

Happy Sunday!

Hi to my fellow bloggers today is the start of a new week and I am ready to start a new journey.  Setting goals and accomplishing them has been such a great feeling.  I know I can do anything I set my mind to.  Working hard definitely pays off and I feel great. Everyday is a learning experience for me and I will continue to share with you as I go along.  Last night I came up with my first recipe on my own and I must say it was pretty good.  I will post soon.  Part of my degree is learning how to keep a food diary which I am going to do and stick to it! Now that the weather is getting nice finally I am taking my workout outside at least a couple times a week.  Its always a good idea to change things up a bit to give your body a shock!

Caffeine 101

We are all probably guilty of being caffeine addicts! I know I rely on coffee and energy drinks to get through early mornings, long drives, late nites, mixed with alcohol, and I even use it to get through a workout on days when I have no energy left.  Caffeine is considered a drug because it stimulates the Central Nervous system which elevates the mood and increases energy.  Caffeine doesn't stay in the body but the effects can last up to six hours.  The effects of caffeine and amount differ from person to person.  I for example need a large amount of caffeine for it to have and effect on me.  I can drink and entire cup of coffee at night and still fall asleep easy.  On the other hand I used to drink N.O. explode which is a pre-workout drink that is packed full of caffeine and it would give me just enough energy to get through a two to three hour workout.  After doing research on this pre-workout drink I stopped using it just because the mix of creatine and caffeine was not good on my already weak kidneys.  The most common sources of caffeine for people of course are coffee, energy drinks (redbull being the drink of choice which along with Rockstar contains the most caffeine), chocolate milk, and for migraine sufferers Excedrin.  Natural sources of caffeine include tea (black tea has the most caffeine), coffee bean, cocoa bean, Kola nut (Coca-cola), and Guarana.  There are so many positive and negatives to using caffeine its hard to know which is true and which is false.  I only follow legitimate sources and get my info straight from Nutritionists and yes there are both positive and negatives to using caffeine.  Remember when we were little and we used to hear the saying drinking caffeine will stunt your growth? I do my mom used to tell me that all the time.  That one is definitely false being that I grew to be the tallest one in my family.  Actually I am not a huge coffee drinker and never really have been.  The winter is when I drink the most coffee simply because it is cold.  I can go days sometimes weeks without having a cup of coffee.  Don't get me wrong I love the stuff and nothing is better than a stop at Starbucks but I honestly don't need caffeine to get through my mornings.  My mom for example goes through two to three cups first thing in the morning and can't get through the day without it.  I know this is the case for many people.  Health benefits: caffeine is a metabolism booster which is why its found in most diet pills, it has been linked to the destruction of pre-cancerous cells in mice, protection from Alzheimer's disease in mice, and recent studies have shown that adding caffeine to Parkinson's medication has helped to reduce the symptoms and slow the process, coffee and tea contain antioxidants, and coffee has been linked to reducing kidney stones.  On the other hand while caffeine has not been directly linked to dehydration it is a natural diuretic meaning it will make you pee a lot.  When you urinate a lot you lose calcium which decreases your calcium in the body.  It has this effect on me in a major way one cup of coffee and I spend half the morning in the bathroom.  When your body loses that much water because you are constantly urinating when you do drink water your body will hold onto it and store it on the body (water weight) have you ever thought that the "spare tire" around your waist may just be due to water weight! New caffeine users have shown to have a slight increase in blood pressure just because their body is not used to the stimulant.  If certain oils in the coffee bean are not filtered out it can cause an increase in cholestorol.  While caffeine shows no significant health risks it should still be used in moderation because just like anything else you can always get to much.  This also goes for pregnant women caffeine in moderation has shown no health risks to momma or baby.  My own advice if you are going to have that extra cup or two or three of coffee just increase your water intake!