April Showers..

We had a busy weekend!  We had a great Easter with some friends yesterday and had a rather successful garage sale on Saturday despite being in a flood advisory the whole time!  It managed not to rain on us until we were closing down, thank goodness.

Kasey looks happy as she raked in over $100!

I can't believe over a week ago I was with family and friends in Texas.  Man, time flies!

I do miss those margaritas..somehow they aren't on the clean eating program..

Given the hunk of ham in my fridge, I wanted to share some ideas I had for using up Easter ham leftovers! One is even a new clean eating discovery, inspired by Tiffany at the Gracious Pantry.

• Amazing Clean Eating Pizza-Ham and Spinach
• Lentil and Ham Soup
• Ham and Egg Cups

Hopefully the weather rains itself out and will be beautiful for the half marathon on Sunday!

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Clean Eating Tips and Food Journal

Here are some great tips from Molly, my friend’s sister who has toned up and looks great!

1.       Plan your meals the night before and put them in containers that are easily accessible so you can just grab them easily the next day.

2.       Try new things every few days so that you stay excited about it until you have found something you like enough to eat consistently

3.       Make A LOT of chicken at a time. Season it well and put it in the fridge so you can make it into wraps and stuff when you need it.

4.       Frozen yogurt is a good treat at night. It has kept dad and I going. If you have a publix...their berry granola and raspberry roadrunner frozen yogurts are AMAZING..but only do a little cupful each night

5.       Weigh yourself everyday because it keeps you going (usually)

6.       Set yourself a final goal and how much you have to lose each day to meet that goal (make it reasonable so you can be excited when you are meeting your goal. I have lost .2-.4 pounds every day and dad has lost on average .8...so choose something in between that)

7.       This egg salad is delicious

8.       Try new spices...Tony's is the best thing ever

9.       Mustard ads flavor and is relatively ok for you

10.   Scrambled/well-seasoned egg whites make a delicious breakfast and addition to chicken wrap

11.   Broccoli and carrot slaw is a good way to ad crunch to wraps and sandwiches

12.   Always use whole-wheat or multi-grain wraps and sandwich breads

I've been keeping up with some of Molly's tips and decided to keep a food journal.  I like keeping a food journal, it really helps to see what you put in your body every day.  I like to eat snacks (S) and lighter meals, I’m a grazer.

Day 1:

B: Skipped-bad Stephanie

S: 1 container fat free plain greek yogurt, 1 cup tropical fruit

L: Whole wheat tortilla with tuna salad (greek yogurt instead of mayo), spinach, sprouts Cup Kashi Go Lean cereal, cheese stick

S: Lara bar

D: grilled shrimp, spinach, brown rice

S: 2 whole grain banana honey muffins (also with greek yogurt)

Thoughts: I think dinner wasn’t filling enough, maybe a salad would have been good too, then I wouldn’t have been so hungry for muffins.  Also, Lara bar didn’t keep me full but more than 2 hours, might find better way to spend 250 calories.

Day 2:

B: Cottage cheese, fruit, vanilla protein powder smoothie

S: none

L: Sandwich thin ham and cheese Panini, carrots, 1 whole grain banana honey muffin

S: none

D: turkey burger, sandwich thin, slice cheese, grapes

S: banana muffin

Thoughts: Need to remember morning snack, almonds and dried fruit would be good.  Got busy after lunch, was very hungry before dinner.

Day 3:

B: cup Kashi Go Lean cereal, original light soy milk, berries

S: hand full of almonds

L: Turkey and ham, spinach, laughing cow cheese whole grain wrap, v-8 juice, carrots

S: Food Should Taste Good Chips (1.5 oz)

D: Greek chicken, whole grain pita, feta, tomatoes, spinach

S: banana muffin

Thoughts: it was a good day, never felt too hungry.

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Clean Eating: Whole Grain Banana Oat Muffins

This recipe was adapted from a Cooking Light Morning Glory Muffin recipe

1.5 cups whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour

0.5 cups oats

2 tsp baking soda

Dash salt

Dash cinnamon

1.0   cup fat free plain greek yogurt

1.0 egg, beaten

1.0 cup mashed ripe bananas (3 medium)

0.5 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

0.25-0.5 cup raisins, plumped in warm water, drain

Combine dry ingredients, flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in large bowl, sift or stir with a wisk.

Combine wet ingredients, egg, yogurt, honey, vanilla and bananas in small bowl.  Mix wet into dry ingredients, until all the flour is incorporated, fold in raisins.  Batter will be thick, might need some more yogurt if too dry, depending on egg size.

Bake at 350 for 19-20 minutes in standard muffin tins.  Spray muffin liners with Pam and fill almost to the top.  They will bake up golden with attractive muffin tops! Makes 12 good sized muffins.

Calories: 120

Fat: 0.8 grams

Fiber: 2.4 grams

Carbs: 27.0 grams

Protein: 4.4 grams

Sugar: 12.6 grams

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Clean Up Time: Eating

It’s been a busy week already and its only Tuesday!  I’m in spring cleaning mode; we’re getting ready for a garage sale this weekend with some friends, and starting a month challenge of clean eating.

Today marks Day 2 of clean eating.  I’m trying this “diet” where you eat foods as close to nature intended them.   To me it’s not a diet, but a new lifestyle with more energy and a healthy soul.  I think I’ve always liked to eat healthy, clean eating just forces me not to take shortcuts or ignore the rules when a box of Oreos is brought into the house!

My friend and her family have convinced me to give it a try.  Her father, who already exercised moderately with no real weight loss, was able to shed 30 pounds in about a month by cleaning up his eating habits.  Way to go Mr. Merritt and Molly!

There are lots of resources about clean eating, Tosca Reno has a series of books, and there are many blogs that dedicate themselves to clean eating recipes.  I suggest reading some, The Gracious Pantry is my favorite, if you want to try eating clean.  There is a wealth of clean eating recipes out there as well.

 To me, clean eating is not about depriving yourself of anything, but choosing better options.  Clean eating to me can be summed up in 3 main ideas:

1.       Reduce/eliminate white sugar and white flour. 

Both of these ingredients are heavily processed and don’t offer much nutrition.  Whole wheat pastry flour, buckwheat flour, quinoa, lentils, agave syrup, and honey are some good substitutes. Alcohol is broken down into sugar by the body, so for now I am foregoing it, although I don’t plan to give it up forever J

2.       Eat food as close to whole or natural as possible.

 For example, fresh squeezed orange juice is better than reconstituted “fruit drink” or fat free greek yogurt over processed light varieties with aspartame. If it has the words “reduced fat” or “light” on the box, or a laundry list of ingredients, skip it!

3.       Drink plenty of water, as many ounces a day as half your body weight.

This isn’t a problem for me, I like being hydrate, and get cranky when I’m not.  I also like naturally sweetened ice tea or “spa water” instead of sodas or juice. Having a bottle with ounces measured on it helps too, I know I need to drink at least two Nalgines full of water a day.

I'm hoping to shed 5-10 pounds in a month or two..but more importantly I'm hoping to make this a life long goal.  There is a whole bag of easter candy that I haven't touched..already a victory in my book! Pin It Now!

Texas on my Mind..

Howdy!  I'm off to Ft. Worth today for some rest and relaxation (..and margaritas!) with my Mom, Aunt and friend Connie.  I can't wait.

When I get back I'll have lots of photos and stories!  Also can't wait to show the progress on the TV room! Pin It Now!

New Favorite: Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

A friend passed this recipe along and I have to say it was an instant favorite.  I love tortilla soup, and this one is super quick and healthy.  I threw all the ingredients together in the crock pot this morning in under ten minutes and had delicious soup waiting on me when I got home from the gym.  The soup is pretty hardy, I had a big bowl for dinner.

The original version is somewhere on the interwebs, I can't find the exact one I tweaked...but I'll tell you what I did.  The recipe is very adaptable, use what you got!

Into the crock pot:
2-3 raw chicken breast (whole breast thawed or partially frozen in my case. I use 3 because hubby uses extra meat in his tacos)
1 poblano pepper, rough chopped 1 inch dice (about 1/2 cup)
1 10oz. can red enchilada sauce
1-2 cups liquid (I used beef broth because it was in my fridge, substitute chicken broth or water..add more to taste if you like your soup more liquidy..or your crock pot runs out of room..really there are no rules here!)
1 can diced tomatoes (or rotel)
big pinch of cumin
big pinch of southwest blend (penzy's if you got it, skip if don't)
glove of garlic, diced or on micro plane
1 cup frozen corn
small pinch coco powder (makes it kind of smokey like a mole sauce)
bay leaf (optional)

Stir, cover, and cook about 5-6 hrs on low.  Mine cooked a little longer, more like 8 hours, and it was fine.  Then bask in your glory when you come home and dinner is waiting for you.  Oh, when done cooking, chicken is cooked thoroughly and your house smells like a Mexican cantina, remove the chicken from the liquid and shred with two forks.  Add meat back to soup (or reserve some for tacos) and stir, then serve.  I like to top my soup with some shredded cheese and cilantro leaves.  Crushed tortilla chips or strips and a squeeze of lime would have been nice if I had any.

If you can get your significant other to pour you a tall margarita and answer to Jose, I think that would round out this recipe nicely :) Pin It Now!

Seven Down..

Six point one more miles to go!

Thanks Maria, it was great running with a friend. 

mile splits: 11:37 11:49 12:42 12:29 12:28 13:00 11:59
still started out too fast, slow down at the beginning! Pin It Now!

School's Out for Eva!

Better late than ever with the pictures.  Graduation ceremony was held on 24 March 2011 at WPAFB, OH in the USAF Museum.

My friend Kristi and I before the ceremony.  She's a civilan government employee, so they wore cap and gowns.

Mike and I in front of an airplane in the museum. 

*Ignore the bangs in my face, just got my haircut*

Also, there was a Professional Guy Photo taken, but I don't really like it enough to buy it.

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Thank you Aunt Sandy!

Although not my real aunt, my friend Kasey's Aunt Sandy was visiting Kasey and invited me to go on a run with her.  She ran 18 miles, I ran 6.5.  Thank you for the motivation, it was such a fun run!

mile splits: 11:18 11:34 12:34 12:08 12:17 12:04
Note to self: don't start out too fast! Pin It Now!