Healthier Holiday Substitutions: Cranberry Sauce and Gravy

These are both pretty traditional fixin's. They are both really easy to make from scratch, but many people choose to buy cranberry sauce in a can (a BPA plastic lined can with copious amounts of glucose added!) and to sprinkle some chemical/MSG laden packet of "gravy spice mix" along with a ton of wheat flour into the turkey drippings for the gravy. Don't do it!

These are 2 of the easiest things to make quite healthy and natural. This is how I do mine:

Cranberry Sauce:
Add 1 cup of unsweetened natural orange juice and a pack or two of fresh cranberries to a pot on the stove. Bring to a low boil for a minute or two, then turn down and let simmer for about 10-15 mins until all of the cranberries are popped and it looks juicy. Let it cool, then put it in the fridge. Done!

Gravy:
I'm going to try a new one this year (I'll let you know how it goes over tomorrow :) I cooked up a bunch of onion and garlic tonight and put it in the fridge for tomorrow. I will be taking all of the turkey drippings (fat included - unlike traditionally where you would strain it then add the flour to thicken), then add some of the cooked onions/garlic, a bit of chicken stock, as well as some thyme and rosemary and then blend it all up in my HealthMaster Blender (I can use a high speed and the contents get hot!). I know it wont be as thick as flour gravy but I prefer to skip the gluten. I have read you can also add a bit of arrowroot powder, but I didn't get around to getting any - so this will have to do! It sounds like the flavour will be nice :)

Healthier Holiday Substitutions: Brussel Sprouts and Bacon

So this is what I am substituting for a some peoples traditional creamy green bean casserole with bread crumbs in my Christmas meal.  I often make this dish anyway and we really like it.  As with all of my recipes, it is easy! 

Ingredients:
Brussel Sprouts - chopped and kind of shredded apart with your fingers...
Bacon
Fresh ground pepper

When I do this on a regular night I only use 2 strips of bacon, but for 11 people I will probably use about 10 pieces of bacon.  Chop it up and fry it up in a pan.  Remove the bacon bits and set aside.  Pour out some, but not all, of the bacon grease.  Cook the chopped brussel sprouts in the bacon fat, when they are just about tender (don't overcook!) add the bacon bits back in and grind a bit of pepper in.  It's still quite rich and decadent tasting with the bacon - Enjoy!  

Healthier Holiday Make-Over: Paleo Mini Vanilla Cupcakes

While treats are always treats, I at least like to try to make them a little less damaging by avoiding some of the awful things found in packaged and store bought goodies or even white sugar and canola oil in most home baking.  Like the tart recipe in the last post, these mini cupcakes were super easy to make and they taste and look great too!




Ingredients:
* 3 cups almond flour
* 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
* 1/3 cup unpasteurised raw honey
* 3 eggs
* 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 tsp sea salt
* 1/2 tsp baking powder

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325, line a mini cupcake pan with liners.
- In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients.
- In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Combine the wet and dry and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
- Spoon batter into the cupcake liners.
- Bake for 15-20 mins until a toothpick poked in comes out dry.
- Remove pan and let them fully cool before trying to ice them....

Maple Cream Cheese Icing:
So you could also do this icing with coconut milk if you wanted to be more strictly paleo. Just leave the can upside down in the fridge overnight, pour the liquid off, scoop the hard cream off and whisk it like crazy to get it fluffy.

* 1 package full fat cream cheese - room temp
* 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
* 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

Whisk it all together!  I used an icing bag with a nozzle to swirl the icing on, but a knife would probably be just as effective.  Then I put some unsweetened shredded coconut in a bowl and gently dipped the tops in the coconut for a pretty "snowball-like" effect :)

Enjoy!

Paleo Chocolate Tarts!

I made these today on a test run for Christmas dinner dessert.  I'm also going to do a pumpkin pie filling for half of them when I make them for my Christmas meal :)

Crust:
* 1.5 cups pecans
* 2 tbsp almond flour
* 1 x-large egg white
* pinch of salt
* sprinkle of baking powder (sorry I don`t measure!)

I used my magic bullet to pulse grind the pecans into a flour.  Try not to make a paste, it will be moist though.  I put it in a bowl, added the almond flour, baking powder, salt and egg white.  Grease the tart pans.  I rolled balls of pecan tart flour into balls, then carefully flattened them into circles and pressed them into the tart pans.  Bake on 325 for 15-20 mins until they feel done.  Set them aside to cool.

Chocolate filling:
I simply used my favourite paleo chocolate pudding recipe for the fill (previous post).
http://flipfitnesscanada.blogspot.ca/2012/06/week-of-new-recipes-paleo-pudding.html

Be sure to let the cups cool completely before adding the chocolate filling.  I put them in the fridge and the pudding firms up a bit more. Garnish with a pecan or a raspberry.  So easy and yummy - and they look nice for your holiday guests too!  I can`t wait to try the pumpkin pie filling for Christmas!

 

Meat Muffins

I made these from a recipe from a new cookbook I just got called "Well Fed".  I think they will be a great ski snack and also a great grab and go breakfast or anytime snack!  Here's the recipe I used (loosely - as I don't often take the time to measure :)  I might also make mini ones for
appies for Christmas!

Ingredients:
* one pack ground beef
* 1/4 of a large onion
* 2 packs frozen spinach (defrosted and water squeezed out)
* 2 tbsp coconut oil
* Chinese 5 spice
* ground black pepper
* garlic (fresh is best, but minced dried is ok too)
* 2 eggs
* cayenne pepper

Prep:
- preheat oven to 375
- chop onion and cook until translucent in the coconut oil
- add beef and brown, add Chinese 5 spice, cayenne, garlic and pepper
- mix in drained and well squeezed spinach
- set aside and let cool
- line the muffin tins with muffin papers
- I used a 1/4 cup measure to pack the meat mix in and then transfer the ball to the muffin papers

- bake for 35-45 mins until browned on the top and cooked through. Remove and let cool.
- I will freeze half of them and take them out when needed.
- mix up the eggs and add to the meat when a bit cooled

Healthy Holiday Substitutions: "Candied Yams"

So I am playing grown up this year and hosting Christmas dinner for my in-laws.  I am excited to share the full menu with you beforehand to give you some ideas about how to make the usually extravagant (and food-coma inducing!) meal a little bit healthier.  I test drove this substitute for candied yams yesterday and I love it.  Not only does it taste fantastic, it literally took me 5 mins to prepare!  I will be hosting 11 hungry people so the recipe below will be a large portion - feel free to half it!

Ingredients:
3-4 medium sized yams
2 medium sized gala apples
3/4 can coconut milk
splash of organic pure vanilla extract
cinnamon
all-spice
salt/pepper
1/4 cup unpasteurised liquid honey (or you could prob use pure maple syrup too...)
1 cup whole pecans (more or less to your liking)
1/2 cup raisins (more or less to your liking)

Prep:
* Chop yams and apples into cubes and toss into the slow cooker.
* In a bowl, mix together the coconut milk, vanilla, some cinnamon, some all-spice,  a dash of salt and pepper and the honey.
* Pour the mixture over the yams and apples and slow cook on low for 6 hrs.
* Mix in the pecans and raisins about 15 mins before you serve to let the pecans soften a bit.

It also makes the house smell wonderful! This will be my stand in for the candied yams and also for the stuffing (we don't eat bread and I also gag when trying to stuff it inside the turkey!! :)

33 Day Transformation - Week 5:

Things I prepped this week:

Before

* Lean green turkey
* Chicken breast
* Salad stuff
* Chicken egg quiche
(I ate a lot of extra lean white meat to
prep for the photo shoot this week
on Thursday!)


Monday 22nd: 132.6

6 - lean green turkey and veggies
6:30 - coffee
10 - lean green turkey and veggies
(12:30 upper body workout and walk)
1:30 - salad with chicken, avocado, peppers, cucumber, balsamic vin, oil)
2 - coffee
5 - red snapper fish
6 - cucumber

After

7:15 - pumpkin seeds and dandelion tea

Tuesday 23rd: 131.4

9 - lean green turkey, coffee
11:30 - snapper and green beans
(1 - leg workout)
2 - salad with cucumber, 1/2 avocado, chicken, balsamic vin, oil)
6 - chicken breast, snapper and green beans
7 - dandelion tea

Wednesday 24th: 131.2

5:30 - lean green turkey, coffee
9 - cucumber
(12 - upper body workout)
1 - chicken breast and green beans
3 - salad with 1/2 avocado, peppers, balsamic and oil
6 - salmon and asparagus
7 - dandelion tea

Thursday 25th:  Photo shoot day!

7 - coffee and egg whites with cinnamon
9 - 11:30:  phootshoot!
12 - lunch at Montana's: Burger with no bun and yam fries! Then 3 mini Crave cupcakes!
A nice treat for all the hard work :)


Things I might have done differently....
I don't mind eating similar things every day (as long as they are things I like), but some people do get bored.  If I wasn't quite as busy with work, I could have been more creative - I do often make more of a variety of meals.  One thing to keep in mind is that when your looking at the food I ate above - you can always swap out any white meat for other white meat 9if I had chicken you can have fish or turkey, you can swap green veg for green veg... etc.  This can keep your taste buds a little happier if you tend to crave new tastes.  I also used a variety of spices each time to make the same meal taste a little different - hot spices and Indian spices are particularly nice :)

Following this last week or last 10 days can even make you feel extra good if you have a special event or trip coming up (sexy tight Christmas party dress or bikini/beach vacation!).  It's just a lean, clean way to eat to tighten up a little bit :)

I hope this 5 week series helped you understand that you can dramatically change your body in as little as 5 weeks with just a little planning and prep - and most importantly, in a healthy way!  My skin looked great, my digestive system felt great, I woke up feeling quite refreshed and lean (not puffy and groggy), I wasn't hungry... It's a safe and effective way to lose body fat while maintaining your muscle mass and energy. 

Please don't hesitate to contact me directly (my contact is on our website www.flipfitnesscanada.com) for more info or to get more help in starting your own 5 -8 week challenge in the new year!  Keep checkin in on the blog for more recipes and fitness tips to come!
Thanks for following :)




33 Day Transformation - Week 4:

After

Before

Things I prepped this week: 
* chicken breast
* burgers
* lean green turkey
* defrosted salmon fillets
* Friday I made an egg veggie quiche with leftover chicken breast to take out of town - yum!

Monday 15th:  137.0

5:30 - chicken breast with mustard, broccoli, coffee
10 -1/2 chicken breast with mustard, cucumber
(12 - workout - upper conditioning)
1:30 - 1/2 chicken breast on a large salad with 1/2 avocado, 1/2 pepper, balsamic/oil
2 - coffee
5 - burger patty
7:30  - huge bowl green beans

Tuesday 16th:  135.4

(9 - 45 min walk outside)
10 - lean green turkey, coffee
12:15 - salad with 1/2 avocado, 1/4 pepper, cucumber, balsamic/oil
3- 1/4 chicken breast with mustard, cucumber
4 - same as at 3
(5:30 - workout - legs and core)
7:30 - chicken and veggie stirfry with coconut milk and spices (yum!)
8 - dandelion tea

Wednesday 17th:  135.2

6 - lean green turkey, coffee
9:45 - leftover chicken stirfry from last night
(12 - workout - upper and core)
1:30 - 1/2 chicken breast on usual salad
2:15 - coffee
4 - cucumber
7 - burger patty
8 - 8 almonds, dandelion tea

Thursday 18th:  133.8

(8 - 30 min walk/run outside)
9 - lean green turkey, coffee
11:15 - veggie and protein shake
(2:15 - workout - full body conditioning)
3:30 - 3/4 chicken breast and stone ground mustard, cucumber
4 - coffee
7:45 - shrimp stirfry with tons of veggies in coconut milk and spices
9:15 - 4 spoonfuls pumpkin and sunflower seeds and dandelion tea

Friday 19th:  134.0

7 - lean green turkey, coffee
(10 - workout - full condition)
11 - 1 chicken breast
12 - cucumber
2 - pumpkin and sunflower seeds, coffee
4:15 - 3 egg whites with cinnamon
7 - salmon and steamed cauliflower and broccoli
8 - avocado paleo pudding with no honey

Saturday 20th: Went to Banff for today and stayed the night - brought our food

(8 - 45 min walk)
9 - egg/chicken veggie quiche, coffee
12 - salmon with dill sauce (coconut milk, lemon and dill), broccoli, green beans
2 - 2 bites Garys steak, 2 bites salad
4 - unsalted cashews and pecans, cucumber
6 - chicken breast on salad with 1/2 avocado, 1/2 pepper, cucumber, balsamic/oil)

Sunday 21st:  Left Banff after breaky and had lunch at Garys parents in Canmore (brought our food)

9:30 - chicken/egg/veggie quiche, coffee
12:30 - 1 chicken thigh and salad with chicken breast, 1/2 avocado, pepper, cucumber, balsamic/oil
2:30 - coffee
3:30 - 3 egg whites and cinnamon
6:30 - red snapper with coconut milk lemon dill sauce and green beans
(7:45 - hockey game)

33 Day Transformation - Week 3



After

Before

 Things I had made/prepped this week:
* lean green turkey
* beef burgers
* defrosted salmon fillets
* egg/veggie quiche
* chicken breast

Monday 8th: Long weekend - still at parents house :) 

9 - coffee, protein pancake, 4 bacon
11 - coffee - Out for Lunch with Gary: Earls salad with Chicken
4 - 15 unsalted cashews - salmon, salad with 1/2 avocado, cucumber, balsamic/oil
(8 - 20 mins abs + stretching)
9 - pumpkin seeds

Tuesday 9th:  140. 4

9:30 - salmon, salad (same as above)
11- 10 cashews and coffee
1 - roast beef and raw veggies (got at Sobeys in Nanton for lunch on our way back to Calgary)
(3:45 - workout - legs)
6:45 - lean green turkey

Wednesday 10th:  139.4

(5 - 25 min outside run)
6 - egg/veggie quiche slice with salsa, coffee
(8 - workout - upper + abs)
12:45 - lean green turkey
1:30 - coffee
4 - cucumber
6:45 - burger patty
8:15 - 2 bites goat meat and broccoli with curry coconut milk, 5 almonds

Thursday 11th:  136.4

8:30 - egg/veggie quiche with salsa, coffee
1 - veggie protein shake
2 - coffee
4:45 - lean green turkey, cucumber
7:15 - salmon, broccoli, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 5 almonds

Friday 12th:  136.2

(5 - 30 min outside run)
5:45 - egg/veggie quiche and salsa
6 - coffee
9 - veggie protein shake
11 - cucumber
1:45 - salmon, salad (1/2 avocado, 1/2 pepper, poppy seed dressing), 10 almonds
(3:30 - workout - home conditioning)
6 - Keg date night: 3 bacon wrapped scallops, prime rib and veggies (it was SO good last time we wanted it again!)
7:30 - avocado paleo pudding (see blog posting above for recipe) - no honey, 2 packets stevia

Saturday 13th: 

(7:45 - 30 min run + walk + abs outside)
8:30 - egg/veggie quiche and salsa, coffee
1 - chicken breast and stone ground mustard, coffee
3 - cucumber
4:30 - lean green turkey
6:30 - salmon, salad with 1/2 avocado, 1/2 pepper, balsamic/oil)
8 - At a house party with tons of naughty and delicious looking baking and treats! But chose to have only cauliflower, baby carrots and pea pods :)
10 - 5 almonds, 5 walnuts

Sunday 14th:

7:30 - lean green turkey, coffee
9 - 10 unsalted cashews
1 - chicken breast with stone ground mustard, cucumber, coffee
3:30 - raw pumpkin seeds
6 - salmon, salad with 1/2 avocado, 1/2 pepper, poppy seed dressing

(7:45 - hockey game)

Photoshoot with Carolyn Budreski Photography

All of the "after" photos you have been seeing on the blog are from a photo shoot we did with a fantastic photographer named Carolyn Budreski here in NW Calgary.  She is a talented artist who specializes in all sorts of photography from weddings to babies, portraits, fitness, and beyond.  You can check out her work and learn more about her services at:

http://carolynbudreski.com/

It was our first formal shoot in front of the camera (we have helped prepare some of our clients for similar shoots as well as direct the photo shoot from behind the camera).  It was a bit intimidating and out of our comfort zone, but Carolyn could not have been more professional yet relaxed and really helped put us at ease.  After 15 minutes we started to loosen up and she had some wonderful artistic ideas that we would have never thought to try that turned out beautifully.  We want to thank her for her hard work and creative genius, and we also wanted to share some of her work with you:

33 Day Transformation - Week 2:



After



Before

Things I made ahead of time this week:

* lean green turkey (see recipes page on the website) - I added more "green" with brussel sprouts, zucchini plus asparagus and spinach.

* turkey, egg and veggie baked quiche (see prior post for recipe) 

* cut up tons of salad green into a large container

 

Monday 1st:  138.2 

5:45 - green monster shake

6:30 - coffee and 15 almonds

9 - lean green turkey

(10:15 - workout - legs)

12 - lean green turkey

1:30 - carrot, cucumber, coffee

(3:30 - conditioning workout)

4:45 - salmon and salad (1/2 avocado, goat cheese, poppy seed dressing)

7:15 - green beans

Tuesday 2nd:  137.8

8:30 - green monster with protein

9 - coffee

1 - turkey, egg, veggie quiche and salsa

(4 - workout - upper strength and full condition)

4:45 - lean green turkey

7 - salmon, peppers and broccoli

Wednesday 3rd:  137.6

6:45 - turkey, egg, veggie quiche and salsa

7:30 - coffee and 10 almonds

10:30 - green monster with protein

(12:15 - workout - conditioning)

1:30 - salmon, salad with 1/2 avocado, peppers, balsamic/oil

2 - coffee

4:15 - lean green turkey

7 - salmon, green beans

Thursday 4th:  137.0

8:30 - protein pancake (plain) - egg whites and protein powder, coffee

10:15 - 8 walnuts, 3 pecans

11:45 - turkey, egg, veggie quiche and salsa, coffee

(2 - workout - light conditioning)

3:30 - lean green turkey

7:30 - snapper fish and green beans

8 - paleo pudding, but with no honey - 1 packet/gram of stevia instead (see prior blog post for recipe)

(essentially avocado, coconut milk, vanilla, cinnamon, organic cocoa powder)

Friday 5th:  137.2

5 - paleo pudding

5:30 - turkey, egg, veggie quiche with salsa, coffee

(9 - workout - conditioning)

10 - lean green turkey

11:30 - coffee

3 - 1/4 cup nuts and seeds

6 - 1/2 large salmon steak, salad (1/2 avocado, peppers, cucumber, balsamic/oil)

9 - 10 cashews

Saturday 6th:  at my parents house for the weekend - lots of bad food around!

9 - small protein pancake (2 whites, 1/2 scoop), 5 bacon slices, coffee

11 - sunflower seeds

1:30 - chicken spolumbos sausage and large salad (same as yesterday)

6 - 3 chicken legs (BBQ'd) and broccoli

Sunday 7th:

9 - coffee, 3 egg white protein pancake, 6 bacon slices

1 - salted peanuts

3 - coffee

5 - Out for Dinner with family:  Steak, 5 shrimps, veggies, 2 bites of someone elses corn bread loaf, 1 finger swipe of whipped cream off brothers dessert!

6 - peanuts

(7:30 - outside run + inside conditioning workout)

33 Day Transformation - Week 1:

Each week I will list the day, my weight and when and what I ate, plus when I worked out.



Before

Things I had prepped ahead of time this week:  
* all salad cut up and in a bin in the fridge
* chicken cauliflower tikki masala in the slowcooker
* turkey loaf
* steak
* steamed green beans


After









Sunday Sept 23rd:  141.2

10 - protein pancake (3 egg whites, protein powder, 2 tbsp almond butter, 1/2 tsp honey), coffee
1- coffee, pumpkin seeds, cucumber slices
5 - salad with 1/2 red pepper, 1/2 avocado,
3 tbsp Rene's poppy seed dressing
5:30 - 1 slice turkey loaf (ground turkey + grated zucchini + spices) and salsa (no sugar - organic)
(7:45 - hockey game)
9:15 - 2 spoonfuls chicken cauliflower slowcooker tikki masala (chicken thighs, cauliflower, coconut milk with spices)  Smelled SO good!




Monday 24th:  139.6

5:30 - reduced fruit green monster veggie shake (see recipes on my webpage for recipe) I only used 1/4 banana in this one...
6:15 - coffee, mini protein pancake (2 egg whites, 1/2 scoop protein powder)
10 - chicken, cauliflower slowcooker tikki masala (YUM!)
1 - coffee, cucumbers, peppers
(3 - workout)
4:15 - turkey loaf and salsa, salad with 1/2 avocado and 1/2 orange pepper, 2 tbsp Rene's poppy seed
7 - cucumbers
7:30 - turkey loaf and salsa

Tuesday 25th:  138.6

8 - green monster
8:30 - mini protein pancake, coffee
11:45 - 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, cucumber
12:30 - chicken cauliflower slowcooker tikki masala
4 - salad with 1/2 avocado, Greek dressing
(5 - workout - legs)
7:30 - salmon fillet with brussel sprouts in bacon (cook 2 bacon slices chopped up small in a pan, set aside, chop up sprouts, saute in same pan, add bacon bits back in)

Wednesday 26th:  139.0

5:30 - chicken cauliflower tikki masala
6:15 - coffee
(9 - workout - arms and abs)
9:45 - veggie and protein shake (green monster with no fruit, with protein powder)
12:45 - turkey loaf and salsa
1 - cucumbers and 1/4 cup seeds and nuts
4:30 - turkey loaf and salsa, green beans
7:15 - green beans

Thursday 27th:  139.2

8:30 - protein pancake (4 whites, 1 scoop), almond butter and honey, coffee
11:30 - chicken cauliflower tikki masala
1:45 - coffee
3:30 - veggie protein shake
(4 - hard conditioning workout!)
4:45 - turkey loaf and salsa, 1/2 red pepper, cucumber
7:15 - green beans, salad with 1/2 avocado and balsamic + oil dressing

Friday 28th:  138.8

5:45 - chicken cauliflower tikki masala, 15 pumpkin seeds, psyllium fiber in water
6:30 - coffee
10 - turkey loaf and salsa, green beans, asparagus
11:30 - coffee
2 - salad with Rene's poppy seed dressing, 1/2 orange pepper, 15 walnuts
8 - Keg for dinner: 3 bacon wrapped scallops, prime rib and veggies

Saturday 29th:

7:45 - 2 eggs scrambled with bacon and spinach in it, coffee
Gathering cattle on horseback from 10am to 3pm:
10 - salted cashews
1:30 -  1/2 steak in strips, 15 almonds
4 - small dish last of chicken cauliflower tikki masala
7:30 - salmon, large salad with peppers, cucumbers, goat cheese, avocado, balsamic/oil

Sunday 30th:

8:30 - turkey loaf with salsa, coffee
11:45 - salmon and cucumbers, 1 garden carrot
2 - large salad (1/2 avocado, goat cheese, poppy seed dressing)
5 - turkey egg quiche/frittata with salsa (see prior blog post for yummy quiche/frittata recipe)
5:30 - coffee
(7:45 - hockey game)

How to Transform Your Body in 33 Days....

I'm really excited to share this new 5 week blog series with you!  I hope you find it motivating and informative and I also hope you share it with your friends.

I'm going to share my personal journey over the last 33 days.  When you have been training for as long as I have, there are certain to be ups and downs in your fitness level and motivation, yet I've always maintained a fitness level and body shape that I've been happy with.  It's simply a lifestyle for me - and one that I have passion for and enjoy.  That said, it's really important to always have goals.  Sometimes my goals have been strength based (do 10 dead-hang chin-ups in a row or dead-lift 225 lbs), sometimes they have been performance based (doing a certain conditioning workout under a specified time or feeling faster at hockey), and other times they have been aesthetic.  I felt it was time to step it up a notch and give my clients a first hand example of how to get the job done!  As is expected, a few of my fitter clients who have already achieved so much, can get a little complacent and I know they can (and want to!) take their fitness further.  I'm going to show you how.....


After

Before





















Over the next 5 weeks I'm going to share exactly what I ate and when/how I trained.  It's not always the very most ideal (maybe not what I'd prescribe in a perfect world), but that is life - and I want to show you how YOU can do it in your "imperfect" world too!  After the 5 weeks of my real program, I will update you with ideas about other options and meal plans that would have been just as good if not better.  There is no starvation, no crazy bodybuilding show tricks, just simple, healthy, clean nutrition plus challenging, progressive and correct training protocol.  As for the training, you'll just have to contact me for a few sessions to help you understand what it takes!  It's do-able for everyone - it just takes desire and commitment.

Join me starting this Sunday for the first week of my meal plans, and follow along each Sunday for 5 weeks to get a feel for the whole process.  Better yet - get going and do it yourself!

Food Prep - the key to clean eating...

I thought I'd take a moment to share how we prepped for a week of yummy and easy clean eating:

Sausage and Salad

*Spicy Chicken Spolumbos Sausages
*Egg/veggie/sausage baked quiche
*Beef meatballs
*Slowcooker Chicken Tikki Masala
It takes no time if you multitask! I put the chicken thighs in the oven (35 mins) while gary BBQ'd the Spolumbos. I cut up 2 small yams and a whole head of cauliflower and added them to the slowcooker with the coconut milk (2 cans) and the tikki masala spices. Then I prepped the egg quiche. In a bowl I whisked 16 eggs, spinach, red pepper, asparagus, brussel sprouts and Mrs Dash southwest spice - I greased the large pyrex dish. When Gary finished the Spolumbos (he made 9), I took 2.5 and cut them up in smallish chunks and put them on the bottom of the pyrex dish, then poured the egg mixture over it all. I removed the chicken thighs from the oven and added them to the slow cooker (let cook for 6hrs+ or overnight on low, mixing whenever...) and put the egg quiche in (40 mins). We then prepped the meat balls. We chopped onion and cooked it in a pan til it was clear, mixed ground beef with shredded zucchini and 5 spice chinese spice - added the onion in and made 2 large pans of large meatballs (you could also freeze some really nicely if you dont have a hubby who eats copious amounts of food in a day/week). When the quiche comes out we will put the meatballs in. Done! I also bought some fresh snapper fillets and will do those up fresh with lemon one night, maybe with steamed green beans. I might also do a shrimp stirfry one night as well. A day of eating with the groceries we have on hand this week might look like:

6am: egg/veg/sausage quiche with salsa, coffee
10am: 2 beef meatballs - we made them big :) and veggies (cucumber slices, a carrot, pea pods...whatever)
1pm: slowcooker chicken tikki masala
4pm: 1/2 a spolumbos sausage and veggies
7pm: snapper and salad with avocado etc.

Or

6am: egg white protein powder pancake with almond butter, coffee
9am: 1/2 cup fresh raspberries and some cashews+almonds
noon: beef meatballs and a huge salad
3pm: veggies
6pm: egg/veg/sausage quiche

Hope this helps you have a satisfying and yummy week of meals!

Shopping list...

Prep for 1 full week of healthy meals:

Hi all!  It can be tough thinking about healthy meal plans each week.  I thought I'd share what I'm doing right now for this weeks meals.  I just returned from the grocery store with:

2 packs ground turkey
6 steaks

"turkey quiche" and "lean green turkey"

4 fresh salmon steaks
2 fresh sole fillets
1 bag frozen goat meat chunks
organic free range eggs
Neil brothers organic no sugar salsa
fresh brussel sprouts
4 red peppers
7 avocados
bag of spinach
bundle of asparagus
huge bag fresh green beans
lettuce (1 head red leaf, 2 romaine, 1 escarole)
6 apples
4 tomatoes
1 bag broccoli slaw
1 zucchini
1 head cauliflower
1 sweet potato/yam
2 cans coconut milk (I had the spice I need, but you might need to get Indian masala mix)

I'm currently making:
* Lean green turkey
* Baked crust-less turkey quiche


Multitasking!  Green beans in the steamer and
goat masala in the slow cooker.

* Steamed green beans
* Slow cooker goat masala

I do all my cooking simultaneously - must multitask!.  I cooked the ground turkey and returned 3/4 to the large wok with chopped brussel sprouts, broccoli slaw, and zucchini with spices for the "lean green turkey" and added about 1/4 of it in a Pyrex dish with 10 eggs plus left over steamed asparagus from 2 days ago, chopped fresh spinach, red peppers and spices for the "turkey quiche" then put that in the oven for about 30 mins at 350.  I love this with the salsa for any meal of the day.

In the slow cooker - I added a can of coconut milk and mixed in the Indian masala spice.  I then added the bag of goat meat.  I have it on low and will add the large chunks of chopped cauliflower and yam later.  I have the green beans in my steamer for 30 mins.

Fish is quick and easy in the evening for dinner and I like it fresh, so I will do salmon steaks one night this week and the sole another night - either with a large salad or with asparagus or beans.
We have the steaks to BBQ too - Gary will most likely do them tonight on the BBQ so we can have some for meals during the day or we can do them fresh one night this week.

Hope this inspires you a bit!  Healthy eating is easy with a little imagination, preparation and multitasking in the kitchen :)  Make it a great week!

My Favorite Paleo Cookies

These are the BEST cookies.  I have made them for friends who didn't know they weren't flour and sugar and they loved them. They have the yummy texture of an oatmeal cookie. They are SO quick and easy to make too!

Ingredients:
2 cups almond meal/flour
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup unpasteurized liquid honey or pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup of raisins or dark chocolate chips (your preference)

Process:
1: preheat oven to 325 F
2. mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl
3: in a smaller bowl mix together wet ingredients
4: combine wet into dry
5: drop tablespoon sized amounts of batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet
6: bake for 15 mins
7: allow cookies to cool and serve!

Super Easy "breaded" Salmon - Paleo Style!

"Breaded" Salmon

I love this recipe - it is so quick and easy to make for dinner, yet tastes like you took a lot longer!

Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- fish spice (I use about 5 tbsp of a fish spice I got at the Spice Bazaar in Turkey) but you can find one you like at the grocery store - you may need less if it has a strong taste - but you want it to have some kick!)
- salmon fillets or a large fillet sliced into manageable portions

Directions:
- pre-heat a large pan on the stove top to medium/high heat (I use #7 out of 10 on my knob) and either rub with butter, coconut oil or cooking spray.
- beat the egg in a bowl.
- mix your fish spice and the almond flour in a separate bowl
- dip the salmon in the egg and drop it in the almond flour mixture - coat both sides.
- drop into pan and cook each side (it doesn't take long - maybe 3-4 mins per side).  Watch it carefully as the almond coating can burn if you leave it too long!)

Serve with veggies and/or a huge salad.  - Yum!

Real Time Video Workout Challenge

4 X 4 Full Body Conditioning Challenge

Watch me sweat it out in the workout challenge below, then compete to beat my time!
This workout is really tough and short - a great one to do when you have limited time but want a killer workout.  Try to beat your time (with great form) each time to try it.

I used 15 lbs weights but if you are more intermediate or beginner you can drop to 12 or 10 lbs (but it shouldn't be easy so don't drop your weights just to get through it without stopping or to make it more comfortable - there should be nothing comfortable about this workout! Notice my super sweaty face in the intro after I have just completed the workout :) 

Workout Breakdown:

4 rounds X 4 exercises - 10 reps each exercise - for time

* DB Thrusters
* Reverse lunge hammer curl
* TRX pullups (completely vertical TRX)
* Burpee bar touch

 

4 X 4 Full Body Conditioning Time Challenge

Week of new recipes! Paleo Pudding

Paleo Pudding

Ingredients:

* 2 ripe avocados
* 1/2 can coconut milk
* 3.5 tbsp pure cocoa powder
* 3 tbsp raw organic liquid honey
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender.  Refrigerate for a half hour to 1 hour for best results, but you can eat it right away too :)  It's so creamy and delicious! 

Remember:  Paleo dessert should be eaten rarely - it can be a slippery slope for those with a sweet tooth or if you are new to paleo.  The point of paleo is not to substitute "not as bad paleo'd sweets" for really bad processed sweets.  These types of recipes should be used for treats and only after following a clean paleo diet of mainly meat, eggs, veggies and fats for at least 30 days.  If you are used to artificially sweet things, this may not taste very sweet - but for seasoned paleo lifestyle followers, it is a really nice sweet treat.  It is also nice to serve when entertaining - I bet your guests love it and wont even know it's paleo until you tell them!  Garnish with a couple of fresh raspberries.

Week of new recipes! Paleo Popsicles

Paleo Popsicles

This is a quick yummy treat for hot summer days (if it ever gets hot!!). 

Ingredients:
* coconut milk
* stevia
* berries  (choice - I like raspberries best, but blueberries or strawberries are good too...)

Directions:

In a magic bullet or blender combine 1 can coconut milk, 2g stevia (2 little packets), and a bunch of berries.  Blend and pour into popsicle molds.  My molds are tiny so I always have a bunch left.  I put it in a container in the fridge and can simply fill up the empty mold each time.  I also use this mix as a treat topping for a paleo pancake - its like a dollop of tasty fruity whipped creme!

Week of new recipes! Mini Meatloafs

Mini Meatloafs

Ingredients:
* ground beef
* zucchini
* spinach
* 1 egg
* spices (I used a spice mix I got from the spice bazaar in Turkey but you can simply use: basil, oregano, garlic, onion powder, pepper, celery salt, etc - or try an MSG/Salt free Mrs Dash mix.  The southwest chipotle would be interesting to try here).

Directions:
Mix all of the above ingredients.  Grate the zucchini with a cheese grater and chop the spinach up into small pieces.  If your kids are picky about "green stuff" in their food you can put the egg and veggies in a magic bullet and puree - they disappear into the meat!  Form the meat into mini meatloaf shapes and place on cookie sheets.  Bake on 365 for about 40 mins.  I eat these with organic salsa (right now I like Neil Brothers brand).  Easy to take for lunch too!  It's fun to have little single serving portions ready to go :)

Bonus:
I used a couple of these one night in a stirfry - Gary loved it!  I simply broke up 2 loafs into small chunks, added veggies, coconut oil, and a spicy dried red pepper into a pan and stir fried for a few minutes - SO easy and yummy for a quick dinner :)

Full week of new recipes! Ottoman Kebap

This week I will be posting a new Paleo recipe every day until Friday!  These are all recipes I have made and I can guarantee are yummy!

Ottoman Kebap

This is a meal we had in Turkey that I sort of tried to replicate at home.  I changes a few things (like not adding the lamb), but I will give you options too :)  It's a really easy one and feels like "comfort food" - try it!

Ingredients:
* ground beef or steak in chunks (I used leftover ground I already had cooked)
* chicken breast (cut up in small chunks)
* optional - lamb cut in small chunks)
* 1 can diced tomatoes in their own juices
* 1 zucchini
* 1 yellow pepper
* 1 orange pepper
* dehydrated or fresh red onion
* cumin, cinnamon, garlic powder, celery salt, 1-2 dried hot red peppers (depending on your love of spicy!), black pepper, onion salt, basil

Directions:
Cook all meat.  I usually have a bunch cooked beforehand for different uses through the week (salads, stirfrys, etc.) - it makes meals like this extremely simple and quick.  Add the following to a large wok or skillet:  all meat, can of diced tomatoes, chopped up veggies, and spices (just a medium sized pinch of cinnamon but a generous sprinkle of the rest and crush the hot pepper(s)).  Simmer and occasionally stir until veggies are slightly soft.  Done! 

This dish has a really nice sweet and spicy flavour.  It makes a nice lunch for the next few days too.     

Away for a month...

We will be away for the month of May - so no new blog posts until June :)

Have a great month and I look forward to sharing more videos, recipes and info here when we return!

Weekend breakfast treat! Peanut Butter & Bacon Crepes

It's going to sound weird...but you should try it before you decide it's not delicious!  This morning for breakfast I treated myself to a special version of my usual egg white protein crepe.

Peanut Butter and Bacon Crepes:

I made my usual egg white crepe (1/2 cup egg whites with a scoop of protein powder - mine was strawberry, but plain or light vanilla might be best).  Mix thoroughly and pour into a large skillet to cook.

Gary had some bacon already cooked in the fridge, so I just heated up 2 slices in the microwave (15 seconds is all it takes).   When the crepe is done, spread a thin layer of organic all natural peanut butter on it and add the bacon on top.  I squeezed a very thin drizzle of unpasteurized liquid honey over it and rolled it up.  Yummy!!

Seriously - try it!  It is a nice treat every once in a while - still gluten free with a low insulin response - and a good source of protein and fat in the morning!

Summer Lovin'

Summer is on its way!  Are you excited?  Are you just itching to pull out your shorts and swimwear?  Unfortunately, many of us would say yes to the first question but no to the second. 

When was the last time you felt great, I mean really great, in your summer "shows more skin" clothes?  If it's been a while, why not make this the summer that you feel comfortable and confident in your own skin!  Life gets busy and we all like to put things off, but imagine having one less thing to have in the back of your mind - how you look and feel in your clothes - and just live it and love it this summer.  It's not about looking like someone else you know or see in a magazine - it's about being the fittest, healthiest, best YOU.

Summer makes it even easier to get a great workout in!  I have re-posted three 8 minute videos below that need NO equipment or gym facilities to do - only you.  I love this type of training in the summer - get outside and get it done!  Look for some exciting new playground workout videos coming this summer for even more inspiration :) 

If your just beginning, try doing as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) of only one of the videos - it's a great workout in itself!  Or if your looking for more, combine the 2.  Do 8 minutes of the first sequence, rest 2 minutes, then do 8 minutes of the second sequence for a total of 18 super short (but super tough!) minutes of fat blasting, body toning, energy burning summer goodness!  Try the ab bonus on top of that or on alternating days at home. 

Let's get real here:  18 minutes every other day and 8 minutes on alternating days - no excuse not to.

It's your summer - feel your best!  Get excited for more free outdoor workouts coming up!

Workout #1 - 8 minutes full body

Workout #2 - 8 minutes full body

Workout #3 - core/abs

 

1988 Aerobic Championships.... You MUST watch this video

If you don't smile while watching this video, I don't know what could make you smile to today :)  You must watch the whole thing and pay attention to facial expressions!

My goal today is to have at least 50% of the energy and excitement that these people have! 

Who thinks that I should bring this type of workout (and gym fashion!) back?  Love it!

Another Easy Recipe! Protein Crepes



Mine look a little pink since I used Dr. Mercola Raw
Milk Organic Strawberry Whey (the color is from beets!)
Normally I use Vega Protein (it just agrees with my
tummy best :)

Protein Crepes

I am not a daily protein shake drinker, but I have some protein powder around for Paleo baking and recipes like this one.  It's an incredibly quick and simple breakfast or snack.

Whisk together a 1/2 cup egg whites (about 4 or 5) with a scoop of vanilla or plain protein powder.  If your powder is already sweet then you don't have to add anything - if it's completely plain you can add a sprinkle of stevia or a squirt of unpasteurized liquid honey and/or a few drops of pure vanilla extract.  Pour the mixed liquid into a medium sized greased/cooking sprayed pan and cook over medium until firm enough to flip.  It should be a big enough pan that the liquid is thin to form a crepe thickness.  You can roll these up and eat them plain or spread a very thin layer of almond butter inside. 

So Easy!

Incredibly easy recipe... Chicken Tikki Masala

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikki Masala with Yams

This is one of my favourites!  So Easy!

Ingredients:

*Chicken thighs (1 large pack)

*Yams (2 small or 1 large)

*1 can coconut milk

*Club House Spice Pack

Steps:
1) Cook the chicken thighs either in the oven (350 for 45 mins) or in a large pan/wok.

2) While the chicken is cooking, empty one can of coconut milk into a slow cooker (shake it well first!).

3) Add all of the little blister packs of spices into the coconut milk and milk well.  You can also simply add these spices without buying the Club House pack if you have them (1tsp dried minced garlic, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper) 

4) Chop up the yam into cubes and add to the slow cooker.

5) Add the chicken thighs to the slow cooker. (I cut them up smaller too).

6) Slow cook on high for about 3-4 hours mixing occasionally until yams are really soft (I like them even to fall apart and become like mashed potato consistency and when the chicken falls apart too - yum!)

The spices make this simple dish soooo tasty.  Enjoy!

Spring Cleaning...The Body!

Every spring (and sometimes again in the fall) I complete a 12 day detox cleanse.  There are many "cleanses" out there and sometime people falsely associate them all with fasting.  This is not necessary.  The cleanse that I use is the well known Wild Rose Detox Kit.  Wild Rose Detox is known to help people lose weight and cleanse the body. If you are looking for an effective way to eliminate bad toxins inside the body and reduce excess fat, Wild Rose Detox can help.  Spring is then most natural time for the body to cleanse - and it can also help you get your nutrition back on track leading into summer.  You simply take the supplements provided and eat a very clean diet (as much as you like) as outlined in the kit.  No sugar, dairy, artificial/processed food, or junk allowed!  I tailor it to suit my Paleo lifestyle as well by choosing not to eat any grains even though some are technically allowed).  I stick with lots of veggies, nuts and meat.

Wild Rose Detox is not only effective in colon cleansing but also in cleansing the liver, the kidneys and the lymphatic system, making the it a very beneficial detox program. It can also help improve the immune system and enhance blood flow and blood circulation.  Ask me about it if you have questions or would like to know how to get started and recipe ideas (there is even a cookbook!).  I find that after the first few days, it helps reduce the cravings for sugar and I always notice a weight loss of about 3-7 lbs over the 12 days (some due to waste elimination from the intestinal walls/bloating and some to due to improved clean eating/fat loss).

Time for spring cleaning!  Why not start with your body?