Cabbage and Vegetable Soup

When I received my Bountiful Basket on Saturday, the first thing I thought was: what the heck am I going to do with cabbage?? Cabbage is the stinky vegetable that Ralphie had to eat on A Christmas Story. Cabbage is the icky thing in the icky coleslaw (dear God I hate coleslaw). I had to get past my 4 year old instinct (eeeewwww cabbage) and think like the adult I am: now Brenna, you have tried many new things over the past few months; cabbage won't kill you). I turned to my best Internet friend...Pinterest. Pinterest, the place where everyone is a master chef, a fitness instructor, parent extraordinaire, and Martha Stewart all rolled into one. I knew there had to be some appetizing recipe where cabbage was the main ingredient. After all, I had two heads of cabbage to use. Since I apparently should have been born during the Great Depression, I hate to waste anything. (I'm also super cheap, but lets not go there). I found a few recipes for cabbage soup, or magic diet soup as the Pinterest world refers to it. It all sounded very similar to the vegetable beef soup my momma showed me how to make, with just a few tweaks to it. Most of the recipes I saw called for cabbage, onion, and tomato to be the only vegetables. Seeing as how I had a plethora (love that word) of veggies, I decided to change it to suit my taste.

Cabbage and Vegetable Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 celery ribs, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 zucchini, halved and chopped

1 quart fat-free beef broth

1 quart vegetable broth

1/2 head of cabbage, cored and chopped

1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes

Sauté the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and zucchini in the olive oil until the onion is translucent. 

Add in both quarts of broth and cabbage. Stir and bring to a boil. Add in the crushed tomatoes. Summer for up to 1 hour.

So simple. The hardest thing about this recipe was getting the dang core out of the cabbage. Seriously, how do you do that? Anyway, that's all there is to it. I added a bit of salt and pepper to taste. 

The finished product was a hearty soup, chock full of good-for-you veggies. As a lunch, I would add in some cooked quinoa, tofu, chicken, or turkey to make it more filling. It could also be made vegetarian by using 2 quarts of vegetable broth instead of the beef broth. I estimate that it makes 12 servings, with each serving being 1 WW PointsPlus.

Munch on, friends :)

Bountiful Baskets

In the past 4 months, I've been trying to eat more fruits and veggies. I've always liked them, but I hardly buy them at the store unless they're frozen or canned. Then, last week while visiting family, I heard about Bountiful Baskets. Bountiful Baskets is a volunteer food co-op that distributes produce baskets, organic produce baskets, breads, and other items every other week. There are quite a few states that participate in this program. It helps the participants receive healthy food items in a cost-effective way. The conventional fruits and veggies basket is $15, while the certified organic is $10 more. There are many add-ons featured each week, such as artisan breads, veggie theme packs (Mexican, Asian, etc), tortillas, bulk fruits, or granola. The produce is local if possible, and regional when local is not available.

Now, I was immediately drawn to the idea, especially when I heard that the baskets come with a lot of items. The next day at noon (the local contribution time), I went online, set up an account, and ordered my first basket. Since it was my first time, there was an additional $3 charge to buy more baskets. I also added a 28 oz bag of tropical granola that was offered. I eagerly waited till I could pick it up on Saturday. I know, I'm a dork. I couldn't wait to see what my order contained! Apparently, fruits and veggies become über exciting when you don't know exactly what you'll get. :)

Saturday came, in all it's rainy glory. I drove 15 minutes to my pickup site and stood in line. It was a good thing I had my backpack in my car because I had forgotten to bring a reusable bag to cart home my goodies. When I finally got up to the front of the line, they pulled aside two small laundry baskets full of produce. I assumed it would just be one! I quickly sorted through my produce and tried to fit it all in my bag. There was so much, I had to carry some in my hands. I believe I was giggling on my way to the car, because, once again, I'm a dork. Here's the rundown of what I received in my $15 basket...

2 heads of cabbage
1 bag of romaine hearts
1 lb of carrots
1 stalk of celery
1 box of mushrooms
3 large cucumbers
1 bag of large red grapes
2 mangoes

6 nectarines

1 package of blueberries

3 oranges

Try buying all of that for $15 at the grocery store. Pretty sure you can't! Now, I had never had cabbage so I wasn't sure what to do with it at first. I decided I would take this opportunity to use some new veggies in different dishes than what we normally eat! Not sure if I'll like the mangoes. I'm not a fan of mango flavor, but who knows? Oh, on the granola: my husband ate about a quarter of the bag in one sitting. I guess granola will become one of our regular add ons!

I was very pleased with this program. I find it to be a wonderful way to try new fruits, veggies, and artisan items that I normally wouldn't buy at the store. Check out the website to see if there is a Bountiful Baskets Food Co-op in your area!!

Munch on, friends :)  

Quinoa and Black Bean Tacos

Vegetarianism has always appealed to me. I'm not the biggest fan of ground beef, or any beef to be honest. Chicken is good but I get tired of it. Pork? I seldom want pork. I just don't like the taste of a lot of meat. Now that I'm cooking more meals and trying to eat better, I'm incorporating more meatless options into my dining. I try and do this more for lunch, since my hubby is a typical carnivore. No veggie options for him!!

One of my favorite new foods I've tried is quinoa. Quinoa is an excellent little grain that is very versatile. It is high in protein (8 grams per cup) and low in fat (3 grams per cup), which makes it a great addition to vegetarian cooking, or just to cut down the fat in your regular meat dishes. One cup of cooked quinoa has 5 grams of fiber as well.  According to Livestrong, quinoa is a completed protein. This means it has the eight essential amino acids your body needs. Enough about the science of quinoa. It tastes great! I find it has a slight nutty taste by itself. My favorite thing about quinoa is that it can be used in many dishes, from breakfast to a meat substitute to even dessert! It is easy to cook and makes a lot (for every one cup of uncooked quinoa, it produces about 3 cups of cooked quinoa). It's becoming easier to find in grocery stores. The first time I ever saw quinoa was I. The bulk section at Central Market. Now I buy it at Walmart!

Quinoa and Black Bean Tacos

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water (or vegetable broth)
1 tablespoon taco seasoning, or 1 packet taco seasoning
1 can black beans, rinsed
Corn tortillas
Lettuce or spinach leaves
Salsa
Shredded cheese
Sour cream

Begin by boiling the water or broth. When the liquid is boiling, add in the quinoa and turn down the heat. Cook the quinoa over medium heat for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, or until the quinoa has soaked up the water. Fluff with a fork.  Add in the taco seasoning and black beans. Combine until all the seasoning is mixed in. Take your corn tortillas and place them on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven. Heat until the edges start to turn up. The tortillas will remain soft but pliable and warm.  Place a couple spoonfuls of the quinoa mixture in each tortilla. Top with your favorite taco toppings. Enjoy!

I used two small corn tortillas with 1/3 cup of the quinoa mixture on each. I topped mine with spinach leaves, shredded cheese, light sour cream, and salsa. Both tacos were a total of 7 WW PointsPlus. 

 I have a lot left over, too! This mixture would be good in a salad or in a wrap as well. It would also be a good substitute for a southwest-style breakfast, if you don't eat eggs. Over the next few weeks, I will be trying new quinoa ideas as well! Munch on, friends!

Light and Healthy Cauliflower Alfredo Sauce

One of my favorite dishes ever is pasta with alfredo sauce. Or just alfredo sauce...with anything. Pasta, bread, a spoon...doesn't matter. Unfortunately, alfredo is not a light sauce usually. It's full of heavy cream and butter. Sooooo not health-friendly, until now!

I've seen so many recipes on Pinterest that incorporate cauliflower into the dish. I've tried cauliflower pizza crust, but that didn't turn out so well. I still wanted to see why so many pins are focused around cauliflower. That's when I found the recipe for cauliflower alfredo sauce. I figured, what the heck, I'll try it. Plus, my husband insisted he did not like cauliflower, so I wanted to see if he really did. I found the recipe from hungrycouplenyc that seemed to fit exactly what I wanted. I made a couple adjustments for dietary purposes, but other than that, I followed the recipe. I was glad I did! I took a normally stinky vegetable and turned it into a magnificent, creamy, delicious alfredo-style sauce that was devoured by both my husband and I!

Cauliflower alfredo sauce

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
4 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of butter
1 cup cooking liquid
1/2 cup milk
Parmesan cheese

Boil the cauliflower until cooked. While the cauliflower is boiling, sauté garlic in the butter until translucent. Reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid from cauliflower and add in 1/2 cup milk. Drain the cauliflower. Add in cauliflower, butter/garlic, and liquid to blender. Purée until smooth. Add Parmesan cheese and purée. If it's too thick, add some more milk.

1/2 cup serving = 2 WW PointsPlus

I was very surprised at how creamy the sauce turned out without heavy cream or copious amounts of butter. I had to stop myself from eating the whole bowl by itself! It's a very versatile sauce. For dinner, I used it as a sauce for a pasta dish. I combined whole wheat penne pasta, broccoli, mushrooms, and grilled chicken with 2 cups of the sauce. It was awesome! So awesome that my husband went back for a second serving, even after knowing he was eating cauliflower. 

Other uses for the sauce could be as a white sauce for pizza, the base for queso, or as an enchilada sauce when you add sour cream. I used lactose-free milk in this dish, but you could also use regular or unsweetened almond/soy/rice milk to fit your dietary needs. 

I see this being added into our meal rotation for a long time to come. Try it out for yourself!

Weight Watchers week 1 update

After my first week doing Weight Watchers, I lost 4 pounds. I was surprised at how quick I was able to adjust to the portion sizes. I liked that I was able to swap my activity points at the end of the day for a small snack after my workout. I love the barcode scanner app! I found it useful when I was grocery shopping. I'm looking forward to trying some different recipes from the WW website soon.

Other updates: I took more than a minute off of my average minutes per mile record on Sunday. I have a 5K at the end of August, so I've been incorporating more running into my workout routine. I also knew I needed to add my cardio to burn fat. Also, I've noticed my clothes are fitting better. A dress shirt I bought in the spring is fitting better than when I bought it. I was also able to wear a pair of dress pants I haven't fit in since last year. Motivators, baby!

I forgot to take measurements for this past week, but I will add measurements into my tracking. Looking forward to getting closer to my ultimate goal!

Snack time!

One of my favorite things, as well as something that hinders my progress, is snacking. I just like to graze throughout the day, munching a little something in the morning, before I workout, or while watching the ball game at night. Now, small meals aren't bad. In fact, I feel better eating 5 or 6 small meals rather than 3 big meals. It's all about what you eat though. 5 or 6 small meals of Cheez-Its or Thin Mints are no bueno (but they do taste good). I've complied a list of healthy snacks when ya just need to nosh. These are different than just grabbing an apple out of the fruit basket. Being creative with your healthy snacks is fun!

* Frozen grapes: I divide up a bunch of grapes into snack size bags and immediately put them in the freezer. Portion control and a frosty treat!

* Plain Greek yogurt topped with sliced fruit: this is also good for breakfast! Less sugar than the fruit-flavored yogurt. Try adding unsweetened coconut or a small amount of granola for a filling breakfast.

* Dehydrated fruit and nut mix: make your own trail mix! You can control what you have in it. Watch out for portion size though. While fruit is good, it's high in sugar, especially store bought dehydrated fruits.

* Celery sticks and nut butter/hummus: I like to buy the precut celery sticks. They already have all the gross strings off! When it's already prepared, I'm more likely to eat it. Both nut butter and hummus are a good source of protein.

* Any raw veggie and hummus: this is about the only way I eat raw carrots. Broccoli and cauliflower is also good with this Mediterranean dip. 

* Air popped popcorn with lime juice and hot sauce: okay, I might be the only one that likes this. Try it...deeeeelicious!

* Hardboiled eggs: quick pick-me-up in the afternoon. Eggs, not just for breakfast!

I also like the 100 calorie packs of chips and crackers. Sometimes, ya just need a Cheez-It. 

Please add your snack ideas in the comments below! :)

Weight Watchers

Well, it's been 3 months since I started this journey. My exercise part has been good. My diet, eh, not so much. I needed something to hold me accountable, since I wasn't doing that myself. I was watching calories but still eating high fat junk. My portion sizes has reduced but were not what I wanted. I decided to join Weight Watchers.

I've done Weight Watchers in the past, but would quit when I got frustrated. I know this time I can't do that to myself anymore. I'm doing the online tools for now but might join up with the meetings in the future. I like how I can scan something in the grocery store and immediately see the points per serving. I also like that there's a kitchen companion app for the iPad. I can easily pull up WW approved recipes and generate a list of ingredients. Another thing that intrigues me about WW is swapping points. I can swap my accumulated activity points for a treat, such as my fave green tea frapuccino! 

As with anything else, it will only work if I work with it. I will be weighing in and doing measurements each Monday. I will post those numbers as well as a picture of my weekly chart in this blog. Putting it all out there will help keep me accountable!

If you have any websites with WW recipes or other healthy recipes, let me know in the comments!

Mexican Chicken Salad

So I haven't posted in over a month!! Sorry about that! I kept putting off my blogging for other things, you know, like being lazy and watching Netflix. Well, the lazy days are over. Isn't it easy to be lazy when it's so bloody hot outside?! I don't want to do anything but lay around with some lemonade in my nice air conditioning.

When it's this hot out, I don't want to cook. Well, I want to cook but it heats up the house too much. I use my crock pot a lot during the summer, or make sandwiches and salads. One meal I make to break up the sandwich monotony is my mexican chicken salad. Super easy and no cooking involved.

2 cans chunk chicken breast, fat free, drained

1 package frozen corn, thawed

1 can black beans, drained (I forgot this when I was making it and had to add it later)

1 small can green chilies

Salsa verde, to taste

Cheddar cheese, if wanted

Cilantro

Garlic powder

Chili powder

Mix everything together and chill in fridge. Super easy. Goes great in salads, served with chips, or by itself. 

 

2 months healthier

March 26: This was the day that kicked off this journey. I went to my first workout at Synergy Fitness. It kicked my butt into the dirt. I had never actually thrown up after working out, but I did that day! I considered giving up. Why do something that is sooo HARD!!! I wanted to say, forget this, it's not worth it. Looking back, I'm glad I didn't give up. 

This is me, just a week before I started working out. I hated taking pictures where you could see all of me. I had a big ol' belly and my face was all swollen. It was embarrassing to say the least.

Fast forward two months, May 26. Hey look at that! There's an actual waist! In two months time, I've lost 8 pounds. I also lost 3 and a half inches around my waist (wow!), 1 inch around my hips, and 1 inch from my thighs. 

It's not been easy. It's been very hard. I've wanted to give up so many times. Every time I get shin splints, blisters, or sore ankles, I ask myself "why are you doing this?!" Every time I go to the grocery store, my inner fat girl says, "oh, go ahead and get that slice of cheesecake. It's just one. While you're at it, grab some Cheez-Its too." If I gave into my inner voices, I wouldn't have this picture. I wouldn't be where I am now. 

For anyone out there trying to lose weight, kick a bad habit, or continue in their journey towards health, don't give up. It's a journey, not a one stop trip. Every road has bumps, potholes, twists, and turns. This trip is the same. There might be setbacks. I had a week where I gained 2 pounds and another couple weeks where I didn't lose any. That's okay! It just showed me what I needed to improve upon. Remember: it's not going to happen all at once. I didn't gain this weight all in one day, I won't lose it that quickly either! Keep trekking on! :)

Health: more than just exercise and diet

Over the past year, I've realized health is more than watching what I eat and exercising. It's also about taking care of my mental health. I've had issues with depression and anxiety for a few years now. I used to have uncontrollable crying spells followed by extreme elation. I would have panic attacks almost daily. I remember vividly sitting on my kitchen counter, holding my knees to my chest, and wanting to scream. I would panic at the thought of meeting new people, not a good thing when we were planning on moving to a new city. I wanted to sleep all day long. I would scream at my husband over every little thing without realizing it. It took a toll on my physical health as well as my relationship with my husband. I thought there was no hope for me.

Back in October 2012, I had a breakdown, or as I like to jokingly call it, my "crazies". It was so bad that I finally decided I needed to push my pride aside and get medical help. My mother read up on something called PMDD, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder. We realized my depression spells and rages would always be the week before my period, and then would calm down. PMDD is like extreme PMS. It's diagnosed when it becomes severe enough to disrupt your everyday life. Clearly, my life had been disrupted. I brought up my symptoms to the doctor and she agreed it sounded like PMDD. I was prescribed Prozac for my depression and birth control to help regulate my imbalanced hormones. 

It's now been 6 months since I went to the doctor. The difference in how I feel is night and day. I don't want to hide in my room all day. I don't feel like crying all the time. I haven't had any of my rages. My husband has said he has noticed a huge difference as well. Also, the physical PMS symptoms are decreased. 

I should have sought help back years ago. I should have been more willing to discuss what I was feeling. I felt as if it was just a natural thing to have such big mood swings, because I was used to it. I thought if I mentioned something might be wrong that it would be looked at as weakness (stupid pride!). It took a very dark time in my life to make me realize I needed to get help. I needed to get help for me, for my husband and our marriage, for my family, and for our future children. I got help for me and for all those out there who were in my shoes: scared that no one would understand but desperately seeking answers. 

Don't be scared if you are suffering from depression, anxiety, or other issues. Please find someone you trust and talk to them. Talk to a counselor or a doctor. Your health is worth it. One of the best things I did for my health was to pick up the phone and make the hardest call I've ever made. It was worth it.

10 Day Juice Cleanse: Day 10

I did it! 10 days of juicing for breakfast and lunch! It was more of a challenge for me to cut out fast food for lunch. I'm not even craving the junk foods I usually love. I think that's the biggest accomplishment throughout this time.

Breakfast

1 small bag frozen mango

2 carrots

1 1/2 apple

I had bought some frozen fruits at Target this weekend to try. The mango was really good! It added a tropical feel to my morning. I think I want to start buying mangos from now on!

Lunch 

1 1/2 apple

3 ribs celery

3 carrots

2 handfuls spinach

It was a good thing this was the last day. I ran out of all my fruits and veggies! This actually only made half a jar of juice. I had a Lean Cuisine vegetable dip and pita to finish my lunch.

Dinner

I love sushi. I found a sushi restaurant in my town, so I decided to try it for dinner. I had a California roll, egg roll, and egg drop soup. My tummy was quite happy!

End of the cleanse

This was an eye-opening experience. I lost some water weight and gained energy. I realized I don't need the bigger portions for breakfast and lunch that I thought I needed. I realized I lost my taste for fast food. I'm glad I did this :)

10 Day Juice Cleanse: Day 9

It's next to the last day of my juice cleanse!  I can't believe how much better I'm feeling with just a few days of juice meals.  I am still breaking out a bit, but I think that it's the last bit of my detox.  I feel slimmer and my clothes are fitting better!  I can see myself doing this again in the future.

Breakfast

For some reason, I was thinking that I didn't need to make breakfast.  Silly me.  When I remembered, I was already on my way to work.  I stopped and picked up a Bolthouse Green Goodness drinking.  It was way too sweet for my taste.  I finished most of it but will not be buying it again.

Lunch

2 handfuls of spinach
3 ribs celery
1 cucumber
1/2 apple

My pretty little green juice had zero flavor today!  I think the veggies are starting to lose their potency.  It took the whole cucumber to get half the amount of juice I would normally get.  It did its job though. 

Dinner

Homemade vegetable soup again!  This is my favorite and filling soup.  It was perfect for dinner because it was all rainy and cloudy outside, which we all know is soup weather!

Workout

Leg day!  Squats galore!  My legs were so tired when I got home, they still felt like jelly.  My main accomplishment for the day: I did a box jump!  I had been so scared to do this for the last two months.  I decided to get over my fear and just go for it.  I did one! Go me! 

10 Day Juice Cleanse: Days 7 and 8

I totally have been spacing out lately! I forgot to do a post for days 7 and 8! I'll combine them into one. Sorry about that.

Day 7, breakfast

1/2 sweet potato

1 apple

2 carrots

I'd heard that sweet potatoes would add a delightful flavor to my juice. Whoever said that was full of it. Blech! It tasted like sweaty, dirty feet. I barely finished half before I threw it out. The dogs even sniffed it and turned away! I learned sweet potatoes are only good fried and covered in ketchup.

Day 7, lunch

Just about every Sunday, since we've been married, we go out to eat for lunch. Our favorite place to eat is a little cafe called Texan Cafe. They have the best home style cookin' around. They even know us when we come in! Since I'm trying to eat healthier, I skipped my traditional chicken fried steak and went for the grilled catfish. It was so good! It had a good spicy seasoning that, paired with the lemon, set it off perfectly. My husband even tried some and liked it! I'll be getting this again.

Day 7, dinner

1 jar homegrown tomatoes

2 ribs celery 

Since I ate lunch, I did my juice for dinner. I just blend up the tomatoes and celery, and then warm it up like soup. 

End of the day

I love the weekend. I got to spend some quality time with my 3 loves, two of which are of the fuzzy and four-legged kind. Lesson learned today: sweet potatoes are nasty.

Day 8, breakfast

1 apple

3 carrots

1 peach

I saw the prettiest peaches at the grocery store the night before. I thought they'd make a good addition to my juices. I got home, made my juice...the peaches had no flavor. Oh well. It really isn't peach season yet.

Day 8, lunch

1 handful spinach

1 cucumber

1 apple

2 ribs celery

So part of my being out of it included not taking pics of my lunch! It was my green juice I've made before. As always, pretty good.

Day 8, dinner

I love having a George Foreman grill! I grilled up some angus burger patties for dinner. 

I love adding salsa to my burger instead of tomatoes! I meant to thaw out the avocado for a topping but forgot. That will be for another day.

End of the day

While I've enjoyed the results I've had on the juice cleanse (more energy, less water retention), I can't wait to eat breakfast and lunch again. I miss my egg white florentine breakfast sandwiches! Only 2 more days!

Have you ever heard of sassy water?

Everyone's heard how we are supposed to drink 8 glasses of water a day. It's all good until you actually start to drink 8 glasses of water a day. The first few days are easy, then you reach for a diet coke instead, then you stop drinking water altogether. At least, that's what I would do. Water is just so BORING!

I would carry around a 1 liter size water bottle and try to fill it up at least 3 times a day. I found myself just chugging it down so I could get my required amount of water in for the day. Blechh. I wanted to find ways to make my water taste less like, well, water! I searched on the holy grail of all things Internet: Pinterest! I found several pins featuring fruit-infused waters, but they just didn't sound good to me. Then, when I finally stopped looking, I found it. It's called Sassy Water.

Sassy Water is actually found on Prevention's Flat Belly Diet.  The original recipe features lemons, cucumber, and ginger. Lemon and cucumber both help to reduce bloating, while ginger can help with digestion. I decided to try it, but with a couple of twists to suit my taste.  I made 3 quarts, instead of 2, cut out the ginger, and substituted lime. With my big pitcher in the fridge, I was ready to taste.

My version of sassy water

1 large cucumber, sliced thin and peeled
2 limes, sliced thin
2 mint stems (kept the leaves on the stems so they wouldn't float around)
12 cups of water

Add all the ingredients to a large pitcher and leave in the fridge overnight. Drink all the water throughout the day.

That's it! How easy is that? Now, the real test comes in: the taste test. The first thing I did this morning was get up and grab my trusty large water bottle. I filled it up and took a sip. Wow! The tartness of the lime, the lightly sweet taste of the cucumber, the zing of the mint...all of these flavors hit me at once. It was not overpowering, but just right. I think I even uttered, "holy crap" when I tried it! I am hooked. I will have no problem sipping on this baby all day long. Aaaaahhhhmazing! Not only does it taste great, it also has a pleasant presentation about it. Lookin' fancy there!

What are some of YOUR favorite ways to spruce up the ol' boring H2O?  Comment below and let me know!

10 Day Juice Cleanse: Day 6

Today, for the first time, I noticed I wasn't as hungry as I usually was. I woke up at 6:30, a bit later than usual. I'm usually starving by 7:30 (or at least I think I am), but today I wasn't hungry until after I worked out! I don't know if this has something to do with the juice cleanse. I have noticed I'm getting used to smaller portions! Today was a bit different than the rest of the cleanse. I'll go more into this in this post.

Breakfast

I ran out of fruits for my breakfast juice, so I stopped off at Target to get some more. Since I had already worked out and was hungry, I went ahead and picked up a Naked protein juice smoothie. It was quite good! It had pineapple, coconut, and banana: a lovely tropical start to my day. My adorable little corgi, Charlie, really wanted to try some. I gave him just a teeny bit off the lid.  He wasn't impressed like I was.

Lunch

1 apple
2 carrots

Since I had my breakfast smoothie around 11, I wasn't hungry again until around 3. By that point, I was already cooking dinner. I made a small carrot and apple juice as a snack. It was just the right amount to tide me over until dinner.

Dinner

1 lb lean ground beef
1 large can crushed tomatoes
2 cans mixed vegetables
1 can diced tomatoes
Beef broth, no fat, reduced sodium

I love soup. I love how it fills the kitchen with delicious smells as it simmers in the stove. Vegetable beef soup is one of my favorites! It's so easy to put together. It's filling without a ton of calories. It makes a ton for leftovers. What's not to love?

Workout

Saturday mornings are perfect for working out! Got a great full body workout to help burn calories throughout the day. I was even able to do 10 push-ups total! Next Sunday will be the 2 month mark since I've started attending the boot camp. In that time, I've lost a total of 8 and a half pounds. I've also lost an inch around my hips and 3 inches around my waist! Woo hoo!

End of the day

It was a nice relaxing day. I bought some cherries and mangos to try in my juices for the rest of the week. I also made some sassy water (more on that in Sunday's post). Still going strong in the cleanse...only 4 more days!

**Food for thought**

Saturdays are for relaxing. My favorite ways to relax are snuggling up with my dogs (Charlie Bug, a corgi, and Margie, a beagle-corgi mix), reading on my Kindle, taking a nap, or meditating. I did a bit of all of these today. I feel as if these recharge my body and mind for the rest of the week. How do you recharge? Comment at the bottom of this post with your favorite ways to "recharge"!

10 Day Juice Cleanse: Day 5

I've reached the halfway point! Happy dance! I weighed in this morning and had lost 1.5 pounds since I began this! That's not even the best part. My fingers and face aren't swollen anymore, my breakouts are clearing up, and I have so much more energy! I woke up and didn't even feel like I needed my Diet Dr Pepper, like I usually do. I pushed past the hardest part and I'm on the other side now. :)

Breakfast

**I used my Ninja blender this morning instead of my juicer**

1 grapefruit

1 Granny Smith apple

1 scoop whey protein

1 cup water

I am almost out of apples, so I decided to blend a whole apple instead of juicing two. I also blended the whole grapefruit, minus the peel. The result was a very thick smoothie, especially with the addition of the whey protein. I added a cup of water to help it mix together. I must admit, I'm not the biggest fan of grapefruit. It has an odd aftertaste. I didn't notice it before when I had more juice with it. It wasn't my favorite I've had during this week and I probably will cut back on the grapefruit.

Lunch

1 jar homegrown canned tomatoes, peeled 

2 ribs celery

I had some jars of tomatoes I got from my aunt and uncle a while back. I decided to use a whole jar and blend it with celery. I heated it up and ate it like soup. It was very filling and yummy.

Workout

Upper body day. Ohhhhhh mah goodness, my abs and arms HATE ME right now! I attempted a pull-up for the first time. Attempted, not succeeded in doing. I did, however, get my push-up count to eight! I'm gonna be feeling this tomorrow, fo sho!

Dinner

I do love pizza. There's something just right about pizza on a Friday night. I wanted to try making a homemade pizza for the first time. I found a recipe from Money Saving Mom on Pinterest I wanted to try (I'll post the link when I get on my laptop). I cut the recipe in half to make one crust. On my half, I had pepperoni and mushroom. On my husband's half, he had double pepperoni. I was stuffed after two slices! It was better than I expected it to be!

Pizza crust recipe

1 cup warm water

1 packet yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 cups flour (can be white, wheat, or mixture)

Combine all ingredients together. Mix until dough forms a ball. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Press dough onto pan. Add toppings and bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until lightly brown and bubbly.

End of the day

Today was the best day so far. I had zero side effects and had more energy than I've had in awhile. My clothes are even fitting better! Now, time to get some rest over the weekend :)

10 Day Juice Cleanse: Day 4

So I was in a complete brain fog all day long today. I had an interview at 12 so my mind was more focused on that. Sorry for not having beautiful photo documentation of my lovely juices. I'll try my best to paint a picture with my words! ;)

Breakfast

1/2 pint strawberries

2 Granny Smith apples

1/4 cucumber

1/2 lime

Something strange happens when you juice a strawberry. It turns into this odd, gelatinous pink slime. It looks a bit like melted jelly. Not to say it isn't good, but I didn't expect it. When I added the apples and cucumber, it helped the strawberry goo to mix into a lovely shade of Pepto Bismol pink drink.

Lunch

4 kale leaves, blended

1/2 cucumber

2 celery ribs

1 Granny Smith apple

1/2 lime

1 mint leaf

Sometimes, when you don't blend kale well, it looks like something from a swamp. It turned into slimy clumps of green. Ew. The taste was good, especially with the mint, but it was not something anyone would want to see. I also discovered that large amounts of kale introduced quickly into a diet can cause some serious stomach pains. I'm taking that into consideration and will most likely go back to spinach as my green of choice.

Workout

Thursday is leg day! Woo hoo! Time to get your butt in shape! I just love leg day. I'm that weird person that likes squats. Ooooh squats, my fave! I was about 10 minutes late (got stuck behind a train), but I was still able to work up a good sweat.

Dinner

Since my husband had already eaten dinner, I picked up Subway. I had a 6" oven roasted chicken sandwich on wheat with avocado, spinach, pickles, and olives. Deeeeelicious! I also had some baked sour cream and onion chips. 

End of the day

I learned about the effects of cruciferous veggies. I learned that strawberries turn into melted jelly because of the pectin (thanks, Mom!). Detox side effects suck. But this is my challenge and I'm going to make it to next Wednesday! 

10 Day Juice Cleanse: Day 3

Detox effects are in full force today. I've had aches, nausea, and other side effects that a lady doesn't talk about. However, I'm actually glad about these. It means I'm getting rid of all the toxins my body has been holding onto! Yay! Nothing a lot of water, Advil, and a nice soak in the tub couldn't help.

Breakfast

1 beet

2 apples

2 carrots

1 scoop whey protein

Aren't beets just the prettiest? Be careful! They stain EVERYTHING a lovely red color...and I do mean everything (I'll just leave this to your imagination). This juice was a little too sweet for my taste with the whole beet and the carrots, plus the vanilla whey protein. I might cut back to half a beet next time I make this. Otherwise, I give this two red-stained thumbs up!

Lunch

4 kale leaves

2 ribs celery

2 Granny Smith apples

1/2 cucumber

1 lime

1/2 inch ginger

This is almost the same as the green juice I made yesterday. The only additions are the lime and ginger. I had never used ginger before, so I was not sure how much to use. I found out how much was too much though! Whew! I tasted ginger and cucumber the rest of the day. Also, a funny side note: never drop a lime in the juicer while the motor is going. It will fly in the air, smack you in the eye, and make you say not very nice things. For tomorrow, I'm leaving out the ginger and adding mint. This was a bright and lovely drink for lunch. Plus, it's pretty!

Dinner

2 wheat carb balance tortillas, baked

1 cup shredded chicken and salsa

1 cup romaine

1 tablespoon light sour cream

Queso fresco and salsa verde

As I said last night, we love tacos around here. I had some leftover salsa chicken I made last week. I just baked some of the tortillas for yesterday to use as tostada shells, then topped it with the chicken and toppings. Om nom nom...

End of the day

Today was icky. I just felt, well, ICKY, most of the day. From what I've read on other blogs and websites, the side effects should lessen from here on out. I'm feeling less bloated than I did before I started. That's one of the best motivators so far! Looking forward to the next 7 days. 

10 Day Juice Cleanse: Day 2

Day 2 in my juice cleanse! I have to admit, I was not too happy with how I felt today. I was cranky and had THE WORST headache ever. I didn't even feel hungry, just mad at everyone else who was eating!  In order not to smack my coworkers down, I added a snack in the afternoon. Angry lady went away, headache left, and the rest of the day was just peachy.

Breakfast 

2 apples

2 carrots

1 handful of spinach

This is such a good breakfast juice! It looks so gross but don't let that fool you. It's pleasantly sweet and filling!

Lunch

3 kale leaves

1 cucumber

3 ribs celery

1 apple

I've decided I don't like juicing kale. It just doesn't have a lot of juice to it! Next time, I'll blend the kale in the blender with some of the juice. All in all, it had a very refreshing taste and was satisfying for a lunch.

Snack 

I had such a bad headache, I decided I needed a snack. I always carry the Kind fruit and nut bars in my purse, so I grabbed one of those. It was the cranberry and almond bar. These are awesome snacks! They're all natural and filled with wholesome ingredients. Two thumbs up from this now-non-cranky lady!

Workout

Ah, my favorite part of the day!! I attend a fitness boot camp class at Synergy Fitness. If you are in the Austin, TX area, you need to check it out!! It has seriously revved up my workouts to a level I never thought possible. The coaches are amazing and so encouraging. Sure, my butt feels like it's going to fall off, and I'm so sweaty it feels like I went swimming, but it is the best thing after a long day of work! 

Dinner

Tonight, I decided to make turkey tacos with homemade taco seasoning. Earlier today, I posted my recipe for taco seasoning. I was very excited to find wheat carb balance tortillas at the store today, so I had two small tacos along with a side salad. Yum yum :)

End of the day

With day 2 over, I'm looking forward to how I feel the next few days. I knew the first few days were going to be rough so I expected the headache. I decided to add a handful of almonds as a snack before my workouts from now on. I will also be adding protein powder to my breakfast juices. I don't want to lose muscle during this process. Other than that, I'm happy with the way things are going.  Many new juices and meals coming up this week!

Taco Seasoning Recipe

It's no secret: we love tacos at our house. It's a weekly, if not twice weekly, meal. Even though there's only two of us in the house, we always make 2 pounds of taco meat to eat off of for the whole week. I knew the main ingredients were chili powder and cumin.  All the other ingredients are spices I always have in my pantry.  I thought to myself, "self, why not make your own taco seasoning?" It would have less sodium than the packaged kind, which is good for someone who retains water easily, like myself.  Here it is!

Taco seasoning mix

1/2 cup chili powder

2 tablespoons garlic

1 tablespoon onion

1 tablespoon paprika

3 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon salt

Mix all the ingredients in a sealable container. For every pound of meat (beef, turkey, or chicken), I use 1 and a half tablespoons and 1/2 cup water. 

My husband, king of tacos, has tested and approved this recipe. You can add red pepper if you like more heat. The best thing about this is that every ingredient can be adjusted to taste! Hope you ditch the packets and enjoy this recipe!

10 Day Juice Cleanse: Day 1

I had been looking for a way to really kick off my weight loss while detoxing my body of all the junk. I came across an amazing documentary on Netflix, "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead". It followed two guys who drastically improved their health through a fruit/veggie juice diet. If you haven't seen it, I'd suggest checking it out! It inspired me to do a modified version to detox my body. I decided to do a 10 day juice cleanse and detox. I will be making fresh fruit and veggie juices for breakfast and lunch. For dinners, I will be eating healthy meals (low carb, low fat, little to no processed foods). I will be documenting each day along with the recipes for the day!

Monday, May 13th: Day 1

Breakfast 

1 ruby red grapefruit

1 Granny Smith apple

1 handful spinach

Wow! This juice was so full of flavor! It was very refreshing and surprisingly filling. I couldn't even taste the spinach! 

Lunch

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes

3 ribs celery

2 carrots

2 handfuls of spinach (blended, not juiced)

Homemade V8 without all the added sodium! It was delicious. I did have to get past the fact that it looked like swamp goo but it was very good. Packed with veggies and a great lunch.

Dinner

1 cup broccoli slaw, sautéed in olive oil

1 cup marinara

1/4 cup mozzarella

Shredded rotisserie chicken

I decided to make a low carb version of chicken parmigiana. I used the broccoli slaw as a base instead of spaghetti, and topped it with chicken, marinara, and a little mozzarella. I've used broccoli slaw instead of pasta before and I find I don't even miss the noodles. I meant to take a picture but ate it all before I remembered!

End of the day

I did have a bit of a headache in the afternoon, but that went away. The juices kept me a lot more fill than I would have thought! I also drank a lot of water throughout the day. I'm looking forward to the next few days!

In the beginning...

Every journey has to start somewhere. This is my story.

I'm a 25 year old and I'm struggling with being overweight. Not only am I worried about my health, it's also embarrassing.  I hate trying on cute dresses only to realize they accentuate my problem areas. As I'm getting older, I know it will only be harder to lose the weight. I decided to finally lose the weight and keep it off. In order for me to lose the weight, I have to change my lifestyle. In order to change my lifestyle, I have to look back to where my weight troubles began.

Throughout my childhood and into my teenage years, I was a healthy kid at a healthy weight. I was very active. Junk food was at a minimum. I ate all my fruits and veggies. I never would have thought I would be where I am right now. Then, college started. Ah, college. The first time you're on your own (not really, I still lived at home). I was responsible for getting lunch on the go. McDonald's and Taco Bueno quickly became my choice places to go. I was no longer in marching band so my activity level dropped drastically. The pounds slowly crept up. Within 3 years of graduating high school, I went from 120 to 150. When moved away to school, partying took its toll and the weight kept piling on. I was able to lose a bit before my wedding, but that's when I really started gaining. I gained another 40 pounds in 2 years. 2 years! That's a huge weight gain. I started dealing more with depression and anxiety. My childhood asthma started to become an issue again. I got sick constantly and my joints were starting to hurt. I knew I needed to make a change.

The big turning point in my life came about when my aunt was diagnosed with cancer. It was a wake up call to me. I needed to make a change in my lifestyle if I wanted to live a healthy life. I set a weight loss goal of 50 pounds: go from 190 to 140. Over the next few months, I took steps to begin reaching my goal. I joined a fitness boot camp, began a food diary to track my food consumption, and started to cut out the fast foods and junk I was eating. My next step in the journey is a 10 day juice cleanse, which will be documented in this blog. 

This will not be an easy task. It will be challenging. No matter what road bumps I might come across, I know my health is important. Every step will lead me to my goal.