Pre-prepared Stir Fry Seasoning Discs

I've been relying heavily on stir frys for dinner this past week, and it occurred to me that I could save some time by pre-mixing the sauce, and freezing it into individual portion sizes that I could just toss into the frying pan. Thus was created: the stir fry seasoning disc! It couldn't be any simpler (well maybe it could....but this IS pretty darn easy.)

1. Take a muffin tin, add 2 tablespoons of chicken stock, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon of oregano to each cup.

2. Toss it in the freezer for a few hours or over night. (Note: because of the soy sauce it doesn't freeze completely solid.)

3. Remove from freezer and scoop discs out of the muffin tin with a large spoon. Place into a ziploc and put back into the freezer. You have to move quickly for this stage, as the discs start to melt very quickly when exposed to the air.

When you're ready for your next stir fry: sautee 1 teaspoon minced garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add 2 cups of your preferred veggies and stir until coated and slightly wilted. Add in a seasoning disc- it should melt immediately upon contact with the frying pan. Stir until all the veggies are coated and cook on low until they are heated through. You can add meat of your choice too of course. I added some pre-grilled chicken to mine last night.

 Enjoy!

A Bad Day Won't Break Me!

I need to give myself a big ol' pat on the back today. Yesterday I was NOT feeling good. The weather was gray and windy, my throat felt scratchy, one of my dogs had to go to the vet (good news: he is a drama queen and was just constipated). All in all I felt generally fatigued and just wanted to curl up in a ball and read and eat junk food all evening. In the "old days" (like a couple months ago) that's exactly what I would have done. Instead I cooked a load of sauteed veggies and a grilled chicken breast for dinner, and I hauled my butt downstairs for a 40 minute workout after my daughter was in bed. I wasn't happy about it, but I did it! And when I had a crazy brownie craving afterwards, I ate a couple of my healthy "ice cream" sandwiches instead (frozen mashed banana mixed with nutella between two graham crackers.) I am super proud of myself, and that is all I have to say about that!

Can a Cookie or Two Keep you Full?

This will come as a shock to no one, but sometimes being a woman is a huge pain in the ass for a variety of reasons...most of them hormone-related. In this context I am complaining about the extreme food cravings that hit me twice a month. If you're anything like me, you find yourself able to control the ravenous junk food hunger-beast some of the time, but spin out of control when hormones are influencing you. You may not even be physically hungry, yet your brain insists that you obsess over food and shovel as much into your mouth as you can. This happens to me about 10 days out of every month. As a result, any healthy eating habits that I've managed to establish and stick to are thrown out the window, leaving me feeling uncomfortable, bloated and full of regrets. It's a vicious cycle.

I don't like the over-the-counter appetite suppressants that are available, mainly because they rely on massive doses of caffeine and I already get enough of that on a daily basis. But there are some days that I need a crutch to avoid huge helpings of junk food. Google yielded a fad diet that came out a few years ago which you probably remember: The Cookie Diet by Dr. Siegel. He formulated a recipe that is supposed to help people with under-active thyroids lose weight by both suppressing their appetites and stimulating their thyroids. His original recipe apparently called for beef (mmmm...beef cookies). I'm not interested in his whole theory or in purchasing his products (which are exorbitantly expensive from what I hear). However I AM thinking that a homemade high-fiber and filling snack would be a good thing to try.

There are recipes floating around the internet that mimic the benefits of Dr. Siegel's cookies and I found one that piqued my interest (it's beef-free, by the way). As per usual, I tweaked it somewhat to fit my needs better. As many of the reviewers stated, the batter is quite runny and similar to brownie mix. I bypassed the whole mess issue by baking mine in mini cupcake tins instead of on a cookie sheet, so technically they're not cookies, but "cupkies". This recipe yielded 36 cupkies at 95 calories apiece.

So how do they taste? They have a slightly springy texture with just a hint of sweetness. They are quite dense, which is to be expected. You'll want a glass of water when you eat them. The flavor is not unpleasant- I would have no issue eating these throughout the day to control my appetite. A couple of these with a piece of fruit would be very satisfying.

Here is the recipe I used:

2 cups All-bran Flakes

1 cup Rolled Oats

3/4 cup Non-fat Dry Milk Powder

1/4 cup Unprocessed Wheat Bran

3 tbsp Cocoa Powder

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp Cinnamon, Ground

1/2 tsp Cloves, Ground

1 Banana, large

1/4 cup Butter, Salted

1/2 cup Granular Splenda

2 Egg

7 large Egg White

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract, Imitation, No Alcohol

1/2 cup Applesauce-unsweetened

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Combine first 9 ingredients in large bowl, mix well with spoon.

3. Blend banana, butter, sugar, eggs, egg whites, applesauce, and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until well incorporated.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry, mix well and allow to stand for 5 minutes.

5. Scoop into non-stick mini muffin tins, filling each until it's level with the top.

6. Bake on center rack for 12 minutes

7. Remove from tin immediately and allow to cool.


Read more, including full nutritional information at: http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/dr-siegels-diet-cookie-heathers-alternate-version/#ixzz2RIY2T352

Habits Kept and Habits Dropped

The spirit of this blog is one of exploration and trying new things (as long as I consider them to be reasonable). Obviously this means there will be some stuff I try once or twice and discard. Here are the ones I haven't continued with:

1. The honey cinnamon tea. I know...I was really excited about this one for a couple weeks, but then I got extremely nauseous two mornings in a row after drinking it. That was enough to turn me off. I am still sold on its cold-fighting abilities though- and I will use it the next time I feel a virus coming on.

2. My complete ban on artificially sweetened and heavily caffeinated drinks. To be fair, I have still cut back drastically on the energy drinks and diet soda, but the total ban has given way to 3-4 servings per week. I don't know what to say, aside from: black coffee and water are boring (especially in places like movie theatres), and sometimes I want my caffeine in a cold and refreshing format.

3. Daily yoga. Ha ha ha....that one failed BIG time! I enjoyed going to yoga classes a handful of times and doing my routine at home, but it was never consistent. Now that I'm doing more high-impact exercises I'm far more successful at keeping it in my daily routine. I guess low-key just isn't for me!

4. The coffee grounds cellulite experiment. I tried it exactly once. As my boyfriend pointed out: a cost/benefit analysis makes it clear that the amount of time spent on this "treatment" just isn't worth it. The expensive cream would probably be better. I'm using neither. C'est la vie!

5. The oil method of facial cleansing. I'm not sure what happened there, except it just didn't take. It works well, but for some reason I fell out of the habit. Maybe it's just that extra couple of minutes that threw me off. Regardless, it's no longer part of my routine.

Now as for the habits I've kept:

1. I still drink smoothies (green or otherwise) ALMOST every day.

2. I am exercising almost every day for the past two months. This is a habit that has definitely stuck so far. I am at the point where I actually crave the sensation of sweating. Weird, I know, but true! I'm not going to argue.

3. I strive to eat as healthy as possible (most days.) I'm always looking for new, interesting recipes and have really enjoyed trying them out. It's actually become something of a hobby for me now, even if I AM the only one who enjoys the finished product. #*&%@# picky eaters! Sigh.

I think I've kept the most important habits, and I've maintained my spirit of exploration and the desire to share my experiences in this blog. I wasn't sure if I would be able to maintain my good intentions when I first started this, but so far it's been a great few months! Here's to many more.

One of my fur babies keeping me company as I work out. I have to shoo them every time I need to use the mat, and they like to make sure my forehead stays sweat-free when I'm doing floor exercises. I wouldn't have it any other way though...they make me laugh even when I'm gasping for breath.

Cheap Chic Treasures

A few years ago I got into eBay selling, mainly to make a bit of money from my daughter's quickly outgrown clothes. It's been awhile since I sold anything, but lately I've had a renewed interest. There's a bit of an adrenaline rush that happens when you get a bidding war on one of your items. It's not something that will ever make me a fortune, but it is a fun way to clear out some of the items you no longer want. Last spring I attended an auction with my boyfriend and picked up a few vintage items. They've been gathering dust ever since, so I finally listed them on my brand new eBay store! Follow the link....Cheap Chic Treasures. My favorite listing at the moment is for this beautiful blonde mink hat in pristine condition:

I love that it comes with the original box. If I thought I do it justice by actually wearing it occasionally I would keep it, but hopefully it will find a home with a collector/ vintage clothing wearer.

I think the spring cleaning bug must have really hit me lately since I have the strongest urge to clean out EVERYTHING and get rid of all the extraneous clutter...

Homemade Cleaner Roundup

If you're anything like me, you are always looking for ways to spend less money without sacrificing quality. That's why I love thrift store shopping, DIY projects, and homemade recipes. Aside from the economic advantage, in many cases homemade is simply better for you. I started making my own cleaners about a year ago and haven't looked back since. I found all of these (and many more) recipes online, but wanted to do a summary of my favorites. So without further ado: 

Homemade Bathroom Cleaner: This is THE magical formula which replaces all of your harshest bathroom cleaners. I use mine in the kitchen as well. My mom bought an old house with a tub that had most of the enamel worn away, and she assumed that's what the gray blotches were. After all, she had used every cleaner known to man and it stayed the same. I decided to try this formula on it just for kicks, and to my delight (not to mention hers) the tub came completely clean! Since then I keep this stuff on every floor of my house and use it on just about every tough stain. Bonus: it keeps bathroom hardware shiny and water-spot free for a long time.

• 1 1/2 cups blue Dawn dish soap
• 1 1/2 cups warm vinegar 
• pour into a spritz bottle, shake gently and spray onto dirty surface
• let sit for up to half and hour depending on severity of the stain
• wipe off with a microfibre cloth and water.
• enjoy the shine!

Homemade Laundry Detergent: An alternative to the expensive liquid detergent, and just as effective. I use old, empty detergent containers to store mine. 

• 1/2 Cup: Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda {not Baking Soda}
• 1/2 Cup: Borax
• 1 Bar Ivory soap
• Bucket {2 gallon size or larger}
• Empty laundry detergent containers or bucket with lid to store detergent.
• Grate Ivory Soap over large pot or saucepan
• Add 6 cups of Water.
• Heat over medium-high until soap dissolves and melts.
• Add Washing Soda & Borax, and stir until dissolved.
• Remove from heat and set aside.
• Pour 4 cups Hot Water into bucket, then add Soap Mixture.
• Stir, then add 1 Gallon + 6 Cups of additional water.  Stir.
• Transfer to a bucket with a lid, or pour into empty laundry detergent containers.
• Set aside, and let it sit overnight, or up to 24 hours, to thicken and gel up.
• Consistency and color will vary depending on your soap & water ~ it may be lumpy and watery… kind of like a watery gel, but it works great!
• Stir or shake before each use, as it will continue to gel.

Homemade Laminate Floor Cleaner: For a streak-free shine on your laminate floors, look no further. Be warned that the vinegar has a potent smell as you're using it, but it's harmless and dissipates fairly quickly, leaving nothing but the smell of clean!

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1 cup isopropyl alcohol
• 2-3 drops of dish soap
• a few drops of your preferred essential oil(s)
• Pour into a spritz bottle, shake gently and spray onto your swept or vacuumed floor
• Wipe with a microfibre cloth. I use a Swiffer with the cloth attached instead of those disposable wipes.

Homemade Disinfectant: This is a great all-purpose surface spray when you want to make sure that your counters, table, etc are clean and germ-free. 

• 2 teaspoons Borax
• 4 tablespoons vinegar
• 3 cups hot water
• Combine in a spritz bottle
• Spray onto surface and wipe clean

I bought all of the ingredients pictured here for around $30.00, including the buckets. That was over a year ago and I still have some of them leftover. You really can't beat that!

Heartsick

I wanted to write something yesterday regarding my feelings on the Boston Marathon bombing but I just didn't have the heart to put it into words. Suffice to say I was sickened, saddened, and numb at the thought of anyone inflicting such senseless violence. It particularly hit home because I've recently started running again and have immersed myself into the online community. Runners are such an upbeat lot, and so open to sharing their experiences, triumphs and setbacks. There is an uncomplicated joy that comes from using your body in such a natural way, and it shines through in those who do it regularly. I am just a beginner, but even I can appreciate that aspect of it.

I will leave the topic at that. Not mentioning it at all seemed wrong, but I also don't want to be one of those who avidly recounts every gruesome detail and obsesses over the event. The victims and their loved ones are in my thoughts.

Treadmill Workouts and Apple Pie Smoothies!

After taking a week's hiatus from running I got back on the treadmill yesterday. I had been suffering from the beginning twinges of "runner's knee" from taking on too much too soon (I have a tendency to do that...it's all or nothing with me!) I had some fear that it would reoccur, but I did a full 30 minutes of HIIT, and even reached some new high speeds without any issues. Hooray! I also tried out my new motivational workout playlist, and it definitely helped my endurance. When you're pumped up from a high-energy song you tend to focus less on the burning in your lungs as you gasp for breath. When I finished up, I was dripping sweat and had that lovely blotchy red face that shows I've been working extra hard. My daughter looked at me with some concern. "Mom, how long did you exercise for? Why are you sweating so much? What's wrong with you?" I had to explain to her that sweating is a good thing, as it prevents you from passing out from heat exhaustion.

This morning I decided to take a departure from my usual workday breakfast of a green smoothie, and try out a new recipe; the "Apple Pie Smoothie" (mainly because I had to start eating one of the three tubs of greek yogurt my boyfriend brought home from Costco.) I got the recipe from my favorite resource, Pinterest.  The ingredients list is as follows:

1 banana
1 small red apple
3/4 cup nonfat greek yogurt
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 tsp cinnamon
5 raw almonds

Blend them all together until you get your desired consistency. This recipe did not disappoint- it was delicious and SO filling that I'm sure it will take me right through to lunch. Here's a link to the original post:
Harley Pasternak's Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

What are These Strange Bulges??

As I have mentioned, there has never before been a point in my life where I stuck with a consistent exercise routine for longer than a couple of weeks. Now that I'm coming up on 7 straight weeks of daily exercise, I am seeing changes to my body that are completely foreign yet wonderful. First: ab definition! Holy crap! When I'm standing up straight I can see the outline of my abdominal muscles...not an actual 6-pack, but it still looks awesome! (Can you tell I'm excited by the number of exclamation points?) Second: my thighs....ah yes....always the weak point. They have some serious muscle tone now. It thrills me to be sitting down and idly realize that the muscles are hard even without flexing. Who is this woman that can do all forms of lunges and squats with ease and expert form? Yup, that's me!

I am still getting used to these changes and figuring out the differences. I had a laughable moment today sitting at work. I had my legs crossed with one hand resting just above my knee, when I noticed that there seemed to be a bump/ ridge there. What the heck? I wondered if there was swelling that I somehow hadn't noticed before. I switched legs and felt above the other knee...same thing. Then I suddenly realized that what I was feeling was my now well-defined quadriceps. Well then. I'm quite alright with that! I've got to say it feels pretty damn good to be in my mid-30's and more comfortable in my skin than I was in my 20's.

Yes- all those painful workouts are worth it (and they ARE painful, no doubt about it). Hello thighs- I hardly recognize you!

Color Me Rad 5 K, Edmonton, Alberta

Most of you have seen the ads on Facebook; "Color me Rad" is a very popular 5 K race that is held throughout the US and Canada. It involves volunteers pelting the runners with colored cornstarch throughout, and the runners themselves throwing "color bombs" at their teammates as they cross the finish line. It's basically an excuse to get out and interact with a bunch of fun people and get really, really messy in the process.

The ads must have filtered into my subconscious, because one boring afternoon at work I suddenly decided that I HAD TO do this race. Never mind that they were almost sold out (I got in for the last time slot- 8:05 am on a Sunday), or that I didn't have time to get a team together. I let my boyfriend know my plan and promptly paid my registration fee and signed the online waiver. At the time that I signed up there were still some individual spots available, so I asked around and placed an ad in Kijiji to see if anyone wanted to join my team of one: "The Smokin Scorpios". I got some interest from various people, but only one girl who actually managed to register in time. We've never met, and she's only 18, so I'm hoping I'm not going to slow her down!

I've been running on my treadmill every second day, and will take it outside as soon as we lose this wretched snow. If I can get my time down to 35 minutes or less for 5 K (3.1 miles), I will be satisfied. I'm currently sitting at just over 40 minutes, but haven't really pushed myself for fear of injury. As it is, my right knee is having major issues so I need to take a few days off. I'm still doing my Jillian Michaels workouts in the interim.

My daughter is very excited about my race, and I assigned her the task of being my coach. She immediately took her role seriously, deciding that I should run the stairs in our house while she timed me. This weekend we will be going to the river valley in Edmonton to run their infamous stairs. (Or at least I will be running them while she eggs me on.) This fun run is just the thing I needed to maintain my fitness motivation, especially with  an 18-year-old teammate...the last thing I want to do is make a fool of myself!

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Smoothie...As Yummy As it Sounds!

Okay...first a disclaimer...the following recipe is so not low-cal, but it is full of good stuff, and the most filling smoothie you will ever drink. I have had serious peanut butter cravings lately and have been looking to satisfy them in various ways...healthy and not-so-healthy. But this is a healthy blog, so this is the one I will share. Yesterday morning I was facing a full day of bookkeeping from home (tax season...the bane of my existence.) I had my coffee and was contemplating a green smoothie, but what I really wanted was something comforting, filling and delicious that I could ingest one-handed while working. I had seen a couple oatmeal peanut butter smoothie recipes floating around Pinterest and decided that a working Sunday was a great opportunity to try one of them out. I tweaked it a bit to make it my own, as I am prone to doing. The result is the following (yes, that is a "Redneck Wine Glass". It makes me feel fancy yet down-to-earth. ha ha):

The ingredients were:

1 medium banana (frozen or room-temperature)
8 oz (200 g) 0% vanilla greek yogurt
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/3 cup oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tablespoons honey

Simply toss all ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. Voila! This is a 900 calorie smoothie, but you WILL be full for hours. I'm thinking it would be a great post-workout meal, particularly if you exercise early in the morning on an empty stomach.

Fat Loss Doesn't Always Equal Weight Loss!

I officially moved on from 30 Day Shred (30DS) yesterday, starting my rotation of Killer Buns and Thighs and Ripped in 30. Last night I did level one of Killer Buns and Thighs. I had done it a few times about a year ago, and then again right before starting the 30DS. I found that I was FAR more capable of completing it with good form this time around- a sure sign that my fitness level has increased. It is longer than 30DS; about 40 minutes with the warm up and cool down, but the time does go fairly quickly since I was totally focused on the moves. My hamstrings and glutes are feeling it today, which makes me happy! Tomorrow I will be trying out level one of Ripped in 30. What about today? Well I'm going to another concert with my friend tonight (Bon Jovi! Ah- high school memories), so I did 30 minutes on the treadmill before work, and that will have to suffice. As long as I sweat daily I'm satisfied.

Something interesting to note- I read about this but wasn't expecting it to happen to me: since starting my workouts I have actually gained 4-6 pounds on the scale (it fluctuates). Interestingly, my measurements are  smaller than when I started, and I definitely have more muscle definition. My clothes fit looser too. Just thought I'd put that out there, since a lot of ladies are tied to the scale when measuring progress, and it doesn't tell the whole story. Focusing on proper nutrition and muscle gain is the way to go, not obsessing over scale fluctuations. Weight gain is common in the first few weeks of a new workout routine (with varying theories on why) but don't let it discourage you!

How to Make Quinoa Flour

I've been wanting to experiment with gluten-free flour alternatives lately; not because I have any sensitivity, but to add variety and extra nutrients to my family's diet. I don't think I'll ever be completely replacing wheat flour in my cooking and baking, but why not try something a little different? I bought a large quantity of quinoa during a recent foray to Bulk Barn (love, love, love that place!) I cooked and used some in my muffins (see post Quinoa Banana Bread Muffins), but I also had a recipe from Pinterest that called for quinoa flour. I wasn't about to buy the flour when I have all the tools to make it myself with a little extra effort. A quick google search later and I had my directions:

1. Measure out 2 cups of quinoa
2. Toast in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. When it starts making a popping sound, toast for about 2 more minutes.
3. Grind in a food processor or blender until you have a fine powder.

Here's what my finished product looked like; as you can see it's a very fine powder. I used my Vitamix:

Keep in mind that while there are specific recipes that use quinoa flour, it can't be used as a straight-up substitute with your regular recipes. However it CAN be successfully combined with wheat flour to give it a nutritional boost. Another note: the toasting negates the need to rinse the quinoa ahead of time. If you DO rinse it, ensure that it's fully dried before toasting, or you may end up with cooked quinoa that won't grind properly into flour.

I did use the flour to make muffins, but didn't take any pictures. Here's a link to that recipe (hers are much prettier than mine anyway!):
http://www.poorgirleatswell.com/2012/02/recipe-strawberry-banana-quinoa-muffins.html

I found that they were quite good, but had a much different taste than muffins made with wheat flour. They were nuttier, denser, and more filling, so a small serving goes a long way.

March Retrospective

I just realized that since March is officially over, I should do an official summary of my progress, so here goes:

I did 100% awesome with the regular exercise this past month. The goal was to give myself a good head-start into a healthier lifestyle that includes exercise as a permanent fixture. This is something I've never been able to achieve before, but I find that blogging gives me that extra bit of motivation and accountability that I was lacking. I am stronger and have improved my cardiovascular endurance by quite a bit. My muscles are definitely more toned, although it's more a difference you can feel as opposed to a difference you can see. Either way- for just a month it's great progress. I have completed 30 Day Shred (cue the fanfare!)...I will now be moving on to a combination of three different workouts:

Jillian Michaels "Ripped in 30"
Jillian Michaels "Killer Buns and Thighs"
Cardio on my treadmill- I use the HIIT method with an incline of 5%

The Jillian workouts will be done alternately, 6 or 7 days/ week. Since they both move up in levels like the 30 Day Shred, I will be keeping track of the days completed on a calendar so I don't get confused. I should have all the levels completed in a little over 2 months, depending on the number of days off I end up taking. The cardio will be done in addition to the DVDs as much as possible, with a goal of every second day for 30 minutes.

I have not taken a "progress picture" for the end of March since there isn't a big difference yet, but I AM proud of the definition in my arms:

I will take a full body picture at the end of May upon completing the above mentioned programs.

Diet-wise I did quite well throughout March, although not as well as I would have liked towards the end. However, I still ate consciously and healthily the majority of the time. I do seem to have trouble focusing on both diet AND exercise for any length of time, and one or the other tends to fall by the wayside. But I am improving for sure!

I award myself an A- for the month of March...not as perfect as I'd hoped, but I'm still pretty proud of myself.

Spring Limbo

It feels like I'm in limbo today...Easter Monday is a bank holiday apparently, but not a stat holiday. But to further confuse things, I am the only one in the office today. Not that I mind the peace and quiet, but after being gone a week it's a little hectic and disorienting. To be honest my mind is a million miles away. I had a wonderful time in my backyard yesterday afternoon enjoying the spring sunshine. I spent over an hour chipping away the thick ice from our walkway while my boyfriend shoveled snow away from the garage and my daughter frolicked in the mud with her garden tools. It might not sound like an awesome time, but I was in my t-shirt! And not chilly! This is a big deal after a loooong winter. And the ice chipping was satisfying, not to mention a great workout. Sadly the weather forecast for the remainder of the week involves light snow, flurries and more light snow. Boo! We have enough snow to get rid of as it is. The sun is trying its best, but there's so much of it....the first brave plants are actually growing UNDER the crusted drifts. That's springtime in Alberta. Sometimes we get lucky, sometimes we don't. Mexico anyone?