Easy Broccoli Soup

Tonight's Dinner: Broccoli Soup and a Big Hunk of Salmon

After listening to the rain patter on the windows all day long while being stuck inside at work, the weather turned absolutely beautiful right as I was walking out to my car this afternoon.  I quickly chomped on a handful of baby carrots when I got home, and then the hubby and I took a long walk through the nearby neighborhoods.  With a slight breeze and the sun shining, it was a perfect day to get outside and get some fresh air. It gave me the burst of energy I needed to make something tasty, healthy and new for dinner!

We buy giant bags of frozen organic broccoli from Costco ($5.99 for a four pound bag!) on a weekly basis, and I was looking for a new way to eat it tonight. Normally, I just boil some water, throw in the broccoli for about 10 minutes, drain, then serve with salt, pepper and butter. Tonight, though, I was feeling adventurous! Why not blend it up into a liquid palatable not only to people with teeth, but also people without??! Why not, indeed!!

This recipe is ridiculously easy with only six ingredients. And it actually tastes good. If you like broccoli, you're going to like it. BAM!

Broccoli Soup
16 oz frozen broccoli
1 tsp ghee
2-3 cups of bone broth
1 dash of garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Add all of the above to a medium sized pan. Bring to a boil. Once the broccoli is tender, transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, returning to the heat if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 3 servings.

Paleo Pumpkin Muffins

So warm and buttery!

So it has been quite a while since I've blogged. Somehow, these past few months have completely flown by. I'm having a hard time believing this weekend is the beginning of June! I've been experimenting A TON for the past few months -- trying new recipes, eating new vegetables (and figuring out how to make them taste good!), and continuing on my fitness journey, hitting the weights and doing pullups (I can do 4 in a row, now, success!!).

After completing Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer in January, I had a lot of muscle, but was suffering from a few digestive issues. After experimenting with cutting out grains and gluten from my diet for the past few months, I'm feeling 100%. I eat a ton of vegetables, meat, sweet potatoes, nuts and include coconut oil, butter, eggs and some dairy. I also throw some fruit in there every once in a while. It has been about three months since I made this change, and I can't see going back. The difference is incredible!

Here is one recipe we eat for breakfast on a regular basis. It's not very sweet, so sometimes I put a little Stevia on top if the mood hits me, then add a pat of grass-fed butter. These make a quick, easy snack that keep you full. All I had for breakfast this morning was one of these, and I was set until my mid-morning snack.


Paleo Pumpkin Muffins

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
6 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbs honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the coconut flour, almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking powder together. In a separate bowl, mix together the melted coconut oil, eggs, honey and vanilla until blended. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together, then fold in the pumpkin until completely combined. Scoop batter into a a 12 muffin tin and bake for 22 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean.

Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer - Completed!!

Before: October 2012

After: January 2013

My goal at the end of 2012 was to complete Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer by my 27th birthday. COMPLETED!!!!! I was so excited to take "after" pictures, I decided to take them right after my last work out on the plan today. I also took measurements at the beginning -- I trimmed 1.5'' off my waist and more than .5'' off my thighs. I consider those numbers a huge WIN!

Here's a quick overview of the plan:

The LiveFit Trainer plan is a 12 week plan that consists of three phases:

Phase One: Build Muscle
1) Lift heavy 4 times per week the first two weeks
2) Life heavy 5 times per week the next two weeks
3) Stick to the meal plan, no counting calories
4) No cardio

Phase Two: Maintain Muscle and Lose Fat
1) Lift 6 times per week, 4 days of cardio for the first two weeks
2) Lift 6 times per week, 3 days of cardio for the next two weeks
3) Stick to the meal plan, remove carbs from evening meals, start counting calories in week 7

Phase Three: Lean Out
1) Lift 6 times per week, 4 days of sprints for the first week
2) Lift 6 times per week, 4 days of sprints and carb cycling for the second week
3) Lift 5 times per week, 5 days of cardio and carb cycling for the third and fourth week

My goal was to complete the LiveFit Trainer by my 27th birthday, January 8th, 2013. I had been lifting consistently since earlier in the year (starting in February), but felt like I needed a goal to push myself harder to become stronger and more fit. The LiveFit Trainer provides daily work outs and a specific eating plan that make it impossible to just coast. Exactly what I needed!

It wasn't easy. After getting home from work, some days I just didn't want to go to the gym - but I did. I was spending an hour and a half at the gym in Phase 2. It's a commitment. But I did it.

I didn't miss one work out until week 10, when a knee injury forced me to lighten up on the sprints. Even with an injury, though, I was able to stick to the lifting plan and eating plan. Nothing was going to stop me!

Eating Plan:
Jamie has a very specific list of foods to stick to. Plenty of protein, veggies and complex carbs round out the list, and it also includes protein shakes and a few dairy products (cottage cheese, greek yogurt). The turkey meatloaf and various protein bars (recipes are included in the plan) became weekly staples. I also used my crock pot on a weekly basis to cook up huge amounts of chicken. That was a life saver. After coming home from the gym starving, it was so easy to heat up chicken in the microwave for dinner. My husband also got used to eating this way -- and he should be taking "after" pictures himself! He looks great.

Carb cycling the last three weeks, especially over Christmas, was a challenge. But, luckily, with supportive in-laws and parents, I was able to adjust the Christmas meals to fit into the plan. Substituting spinach and vegetables for cheesy potatoes and casseroles was an easy fix, and with meat or chicken as the main course, it wasn't hard to meet my protein needs. Staying away from desserts took will power, but I just kept the main goal in mind. No dessert was worth forfeiting my "after"!

Conclusion:
After 12 weeks, I feel really, really good. My jeans are looser, I've got visible muscle, and I can do push ups and pull ups! I'm very proud of myself for completing the trainer, as it's something I set my mind to and didn't give up. It's the beginning of a new phase of my life, starting with my 27th birthday. I'm going to keep up the weightlifting and keep eating clean, and will start with Phase 1 again to build up more muscle. I've come this far-- now there's no turning back!!!

Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer.html

Clean Eating Egg Nog

It isn't the holidays without egg nog. Just the smell of the cinnamon and nutmeg puts me in the holiday spirit. Whether I'm wrapping presents or writing Christmas cards, I need some in my hand to make it truly feel like the holidays. Regular egg nog, though, is full of sugar, high in fat and has chemicals and preservatives added to it. Not what I want to be drinking!

The recipe below starts with almond milk, which gives it the nice creamy color of traditional egg nog. With all clean ingredients, it's delicious and healthy. I absolutely loved it! And I'm drinking some right now. :) It also fits into Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer program eating plan. Perfect!

This recipe is adapted from the Gracious Pantry web site, a wonderful web site with clean eating recipes and meal ideas. I recommend checking it out.

Clean Egg Nog

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk
1.5 egg whites (I used egg beater whites -- about 5 tablespoons)
2 tbls plus 2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1.  Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for 2 minutes.
2. Pour the eggnog into a pot and warm over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Whisk constantly to prevent it from simmering.
3. Remove from heat and chill overnight.
4. Whisk when ready to drink to redistribute the spices and top with a touch of nutmeg. Enjoy!

Per serving:
Calories: 124
Carbs: 28
Protein: 2
Fat: 1.25

Cinnamon Protein Bars

We eat these up so quickly, half the pan was almost gone before I could get a picture!

 

Today is the end of Phase 1 of the Jamie Eason LiveFit Trainer for me. I've completed every work out and followed the meal plan exactly. It hasn't been nearly as difficult as I expected! Lifting weights five days a week and cooking a giant amount of food on Sundays has become routine.

I start Phase 2 on Monday and am looking forward to a couple of changes: adding in cardio four times per week, lifting weights six days a week instead of five, and cutting out some of the starchy carbs later in the day. I'm looking forward to it!

Once I complete Phase 3 in the beginning of January, I'll post before and after photos. After four weeks, I've already seen a lot of positive changes, so after twelve I'm expecting even more visible results. Only 8 weeks to go!

As part of the meal plan, I've been trying out new recipes to keep things interesting. My new favorite is the below recipe for Cinnamon Protein Bars. The original recipe was from Jamie Eason, but I made a few tweaks that I think made it cook a little more evenly and made it a little fluffier. Hope you enjoy!

Cinnamon Protein Bars

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Stevia
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups oat flour (grind up quick oats)
2 scoops vanilla whey protein
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1 cup water
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Spray 8x8 pan with olive oil
3) Mix together all ingredients together in a medium bowl until everything is evenly incorporated
4) Pour in pan
5) Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes (my oven cooks them perfectly at 27 minutes)
6) Once cooled, sprinkle with extra Stevia (optional - it's for looks!) and cut into 16 squares

Makes 8 servings (2 bars per serving)

Macros per serving:
Calories: 97
Protein: 9 g
Carbs: 14 g

Salsa Crock Pot Chicken

Salsa Crock Pot Chicken

I'm kicking it into high gear and starting a new weight lifting program on Monday (Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer), so I've been prepping foods this weekend to get ready. I searched for recipes, hit the store and then started cooking up a storm today. This recipe will serve as lunch for the entire upcoming week. I'm ready to go!

I found this recipe on www.HeandSheeatclean.com, a wonderful resource for healthy recipes and the "eat clean" lifestyle. Higher in protein and with less carbs than my current lunch menu (peanut butter or roast beef sandwich), this will be an excellent change. I also made nine cups of brown rice with chopped cilantro to serve as a side dish throughout the week.

The chicken and rice made for an excellent meal tonight, and I'm looking forward to having it many more times this week!


Ingredients:
3-4 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups of your favorite salsa
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

1.  Mix all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 6-7 hours.
2.  Once cooked, shred the chicken in the crock pot and let it cool before placing it in a container. I also drained off most of the liquid, as it was too runny.

6 oz serving:
Calories: 160
Fat: 2g
Carbs: 2g
Protein: 36g

No Bake Peanut Butter Protein Bars

I've been experimenting with a lot with protein powder in the kitchen lately. I've baked cookies, cake, mug brownies, and honestly, have only found a handful of actually good tasting results (most of which are on this blog already!).

One of the disappointing attempts includes a batch of protein powder peanut butter cookies that was so inedible I even tried to resurrect them by slicing them in half and filling them full of more peanut butter to improve the taste -- which still didn't help. Another failed attempt consisted of a chocolate mug brownie made with chocolate protein powder that somehow with one bite was able to suck every drop of moisture from my mouth, causing me to cough and choke like I'd just eaten a scoop of dust out of the vacuum bag. It wasn't good.

Finally, though, I've found another recipe that I actually enjoy eating. This No Bake Protein Bars recipe came from Oxygen Magazine, my favorite magazine at the moment. I've only received three of the magazines in the mail so far, but I've read each one about thirty times. And it's recipes like this that keep me coming back.

Ingredients:
2 cups quick cook oats
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
4 scoops vanilla protein powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup water
Agave syrup

1. Line a dish with parchment paper. ((I used a 9 x7 glass dish)
2. Using clean hands, kneed all ingredients in a large prep bowl.
3. Spread dough into the pan, pressing down to flatten. Spray a spatula with olive oil, then use it smooth out the surface. Drizzle agave syrup over the top, if desired (I recommend it!)
4. Freeze for 30 minutes. Cut into twelve bars. Serve and refrigerate the rest. Stays good for a week.

Makes 12 bars

Per serving:
Calories: 155
Total Carbohydrates: 14 g
Protein: 11 g