For those of you who have ever changed your eating habits from one way of eating to a drastically different way of eating, you know what I mean when I say, “It sucks”.  However, as big of a pain in the fanny as it has been, it has been SO worth it!  I feel so much better lately, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.  The downside to eating gluten free is that just because a food item is gluten free, it doesn’t make it “healthy”.  I have spent the last five years being super careful about what foods I would or wouldn’t eat, watching my nutrient ratios like a hawk and being very leery indeed of eating too much fat.  This gluten free way of life has definitely been a challenge in a few of these areas.  I’ve had to come to grips with the fact that my nutrient ratios are going to be different, and that it’s okay.  I’ve also had to let go of some things and learn, err I mean, re-learn how to roll with the punches a little bit (not something I enjoy too terribly much…I much prefer to have control over the situation…at least when it comes to what I’m gonna be eating).

So, the other night when I was surfing the web for something to make for dinner that would be tasty, healthy AND gluten free…I ran across this recipe.  YUM…I’m just sayin’.  Try them out and see what you think, we gave them two thumbs way up!  Of course, it should be noted that my son, Tyler (whom I frequently call Ty) was totally loving that they are called Thai Pork Wraps…kept trying to convince all his siblings that they were all his, the name of the recipe even said so!  Lol, man I love my kiddos, they keep me laughing…not to mention, on my toes!  ;)

Thai (Or at Our House, Ty’s) Pork Wraps

Gyms across the country are full to the brim each January 1st with New Year resolution-ers who have, once again, decided that this is the year that they are going to lose the weight.  However, even more startling than the number of said resolution-ers who have already quit coming to the gym by January 8th, is the percentage of people who are successful in losing some weight just to turn around and gain it back again.  A whopping 95% of “successful dieters” end up gaining back the amount of weight they lost, and most of them actually put on a few extra pounds while they are at it.

Today I want to focus on the 5% of people who lose the weight, and more importantly, keep it off.  What is it that allows them to keep the weight off when others cannot?  What are their secrets?  I’ll tell you!

• Eating a low fat diet.  I use the term “diet” rather loosely here, it simply refers to the food eaten on a daily basis, not an outlined, restrictive diet plan that makes you feel deprived.  Once you’ve lost the weight it can be rather tempting to allow yourself to indulge here and there, which can quickly lead to more often than not.  In that case, the pounds will creep back on, I assure you.
• Regularly engaging in high levels of activity.  Just like you have to watch your diet, you have to remain active in order to keep the pounds away.  At a minimum, you should be taking 10,000 steps per day.  Do you get that many in?  If you’re not sure, purchase a pedometer the next time you’re at the store and find out.  If you find that you fall into the category most Americans typically do and you’re only taking about 5,000 steps per day, challenge yourself to increase it gradually each day.
• Self monitoring, whether through daily weigh ins, keeping a food journal or an activity log is critical.  You have to be aware of the smallest changes.  It is a lot easier to work off a pound or two than it is to work off ten.  The rewards of remaining vigilant and aware most definitely outweigh the instant gratification of indulging in something, that ultimately, wasn’t worth the calories anyway.  :)

While losing weight is no easy task, studies show that maintaining your weight loss proves even more difficult.  While that can sound daunting and depressing to say the least, there is always a silver lining.  In this case it is this; it gets easier.  As you go through the process of losing weight, changing your nutrition, exercising and working out, there are changes that your body goes through other than the physical transformation you see on the outside.  Your pallet changes and foods taste differently, which helps in two ways.  First, veggies aren’t as bad tasting as you remembered from when you were a kid and secondly, you find that the foods that once were such a temptation don’t taste like you remembered them tasting.  All of a sudden, you taste the fat and nastiness that is really there, and it enough to make you sick…every single time.

Another change that can help maintain weight loss is the physiological adaptations to cardio and strength training that we go through.  Cardiovascular and strength training adaptations include increased stoke volume (the amount of blood pumped out of the left ventricle with each beat), increased VO2 Max (the greatest amount of oxygen that can be utilized on a cellular level for the entire body), increased cardiac output (the amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute), increased muscle strength as well as endurance and power are all increased as is our Type I and Type II (slow twitch and fast twitch) muscle fibers.  In addition to that, on a personal level I can tell you that I have long been at the point where I truly enjoy working out, especially weight lifting.  Now it’s true, it wasn’t always that way and not everyone gets to the point I have.  Some folks prefer cardio to weight lifting, some prefer it visa versa while others always dislike all of it.  The important thing is to keep doing it no matter what.  :)

I would love for the statistics to improve, for there to be a much higher percentage of people who not only lode the weight initially but keep it off long term as well.  I can only speak for myself, but I can’t even begin to tell you how much happier, and healthier, I am now than I was five years ago when I had just begun my own journey.  It is *so* worth every single second of discomfort that you’ll go through.  It is *so* worth every single dessert you’ll turn down.  It is *so* worth it my friends, join me and find out for yourself!  :)

I’ve been experiencing some pretty nasty neck pain and headaches in the last few months.  A friend of mine referred me to her chiropractor (which mind you, I was leery of).  I finally broke down and made an appointment to go see him.  It was, to say the very least, an eye opening experience.  He did his evaluation and informed me that I had several vertebrae that would need adjusting in future sessions and that I have an allergy to gluten.

I sat there thinking, “Say what??  Uhmmm, doc?  I’ve been eating this way (whole wheat everything, brown rice and the like) for five years now…if there was an issue, don’t ya think I would have picked up on it before now??”  I did, however, decide to hear him out…though truthfully at the time it was only so I could do my own little experiments to prove him wrong!  My mind just could not wrap itself around a gluten allergy…not one that concerned me anyway.

He continued saying that he would send more information via email about a gluten allergy as well as some information on a gluten free diet.  Again I sat there thinking, “Uhm…hello?  Do ya remember the part about how I told you that I’m a trainer…I got the whole nutrition thing covered.  I don’t need your cute little email, just keep it.  I’ll figure this out on my own, just like everything else I’ve done so far.  Thanks, but I’ll pass.”  My mind was still absolutely reeling…a gluten allergy?  Certainly he had been smoking crack just before he came into the room for my appointment….right??

So what is a gluten allergy, what is gluten and where is it found?

Gluten-sensitivity, is an auto-immune response of certain individuals that usually effects the intestines (but not in all cases…like mine *eye roll*) and is caused by gluten, a protein found in various cereal grains.  The principle sources of gluten in the diet include wheat, rye, and barley. Oats may be tolerated in small amounts by some people with celiac, although those with severe cases of the disease typically do not.  Dairy foods may not be tolerated when someone with celiac disease has active symptoms, since lactose intolerance frequently develops. However, this is due to the lactose sugar in the dairy foods, rather than the proteins, which can cause milk allergy.  Understandably, given all this information, a person with celiac disease or even a remote sensitivity to gluten, should follow a gluten-free diet.  Ugh.

How many times have you heard the words “I dare ya!”, especially as you were growing up?  True, all too often it was preceded by the words “double-dog” as in, “I double-dog dare you”.  So what does this really mean and what does it have to do with health and fitness?  Well, according to Webster.com, DARE means “to have courage, to challenge, to confront, to act with imaginative or vivacious boldness”.  Hmm…I like it!  The double-dog adjective simply ups the ante or degree of the challenge (which I am *totally* okay with).  Now for the connection…and my dare.

Here we are, two weeks prior to the Christmas and New Year holidays.  This is often a time associated with indulgence and excess.  The dare?  To negotiate this time period without packing on the guilt.  I’ve written several blogs posts full of tips on how to negotiate the food side of the holidays, so this post deals more with the other side.

As you think back to the holidays growing up, do you remember food greater than you remember family fellowship times, being around loved ones (especially those who are no longer with us), and playing games?  Yes, I remember specific foods too (some that were actually good, some that we made fun of when no one was looking), but more than the greasy stuff, the sweet stuff, and the various jell-o concoctions (by the way, whose idea was it to put shredded carrots in lime jell-o anyway?  I mean, YUCK!  Whoever it was, they should be shot), I remember playing and good family times.  Don’t have family close by?  Get together with friends or look at serving the needs of those less fortunate in this world.  This is the stuff lasting memories are made of.  Indulge in making memories this season…I DARE ya!

As we near the end of the year, now is a good time to reassess your health and fitness goals.  Whether you are a lifelong fitness guru, or a newbie only a few months into your journey, take a few moments and assess your goals.

• Are you including the right mix of exercises each week? - Cardio vs Strength, muscle balance to avoid injury, any rehab exercises for injuries already sustained,  do you have correct form for the exercises you have chosen?  If you don’t know the answers to these questions, seek them out (i.e., hire/talk with a trainer, take an instructional class, do some research — just do it. If you don’t, your hard work may not be gaining you the progress you expect — and no one has time for that).
• Are your workouts frequent enough to continue with forward progression?
• How are you doing with your nutrition?
• Are you getting that extra fiber in, those fruits and vegetable requirements, or your water intake?

Need a little more DARE help?

How about this:

Do - action verb, get off the couch, out from behind the desk, and move!
All – everything you planned, don’t short change yourself!
Right – anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT!
Earnestly - sincerely, purposefully, every time – after all you’re worth it!

And finally…

DARE TO DREAM

As you finish up your holiday plans and reassess your health and fitness goals, don’t be afraid to reach for the stars that you know are out there.  For that matter, reach for the stars you don’t even know exists yet.  Trust me, they ARE there.

DARE TO BE

Not only who you want to be at this time in your life but also the you that you want to be in the future.  It’s interesting to see how your definitions will change as you progress along your journey.  Take notes…you’ll amaze yourself, I promise.

DARE TO TRANSFORM

As we grow, we change physically, mentally, and spiritually–embrace the inner YOU, it’s someone to be PROUD of!

So go ahead…  I double dog dare ya!

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve wanted to live in one of the houses that are beautifully outlined in colorful bulbs at Christmas time.  Growing up, Grandma and Grandpa always had lights up on their house during the Holiday season. I can remember many cold winter moments spent out on the huge front porch with my cousins picking out our favorite colors.  It seemed there was always someone who tried to talk me into picking something besides pink…nothin’ doin’, they were always my favorite ones.  Since growing up and having my own children, many winter evenings have been spent in the car driving around different neighborhoods picking out our favorite decorated houses.

Through the years, I’d try and talk someone or another into putting up some Christmas lights, but it never seemed to work out the way I hoped it would.  It never failed that our annual trip to see the lights on Temple Square was left responsible for filling my Christmas light “void”.  So, having tackled (and won) the fight with the lawn mower, it should go without saying that come hell or high water, I was gonna have Christmas lights on MY house this year.

As a result, I spent the majority of Saturday putting up Christmas Lights.  Ugh.  Why didn’t someone tell me how much sitting near the edge of a very tall roof truly, truly SUCKS??  After Saturday’s events, I have a clear understanding as to why people leave their lights up all year long, tacky or not, they don’t have to get on the roof a second time!!  :)

Because Saturday was *so* cold and because the wind *never* let up, by the time we got in the house that evening we were all pretty much frozen to the core.  Well, when you’re frozen through and through there is only one thing to do.  Make Hot Cocoa!   So we got out the ingredients, put on some music and started shakin’ our boo-tay’s (mostly to get the blood flowing through our veins again…because we were pretty sure it had frozen in it’s tracks).  We started out making hot cocoa but because we were all just-a-jammin’ we ended up changing it’s name to Hot-Cha-Cha Cocoa (yeah, we are total dorks but we are totally okay with it!:))

Hot-Cha-Cha Cocoa

• 4 cups 2% milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla (I used Mexican vanilla)

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup honey
• 6Tbs. cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Combine these ingredients in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, making sure to stir constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in milk and vanilla.  Cook for 10 minutes or until heated through, stirring frequently, making sure not to boil.   Makes 4 servings of yumminess.

Did you know that there is a connection between your physical health and the way your body responds to the way you think, feel and act, other wise know as your emotional health?  You better believe there is!

People who are emotionally healthy are aware of their thoughts, the emotions caused by their thoughts and the behaviors that their emotions lead to.  It may seem rather simple but in reality, it is rather complex.  How many of us are truly emotionally healthy?  Research shows that much less than half of Americans fit the bill.  In a study conducted in August of this year research shows that on average the percentage of Americans who are emotionally healthy (scoring above 90) ranges from a low of 24% to a high of 36%.

It’s no doubt when you consider that our day to day lives are full of stress and problems that arise often, sometimes seemingly minute to minute.  There are many different things that can, and do, happen in life that can disrupt our emotional health and lead to strong, even very strong feelings of sadness, anger, betrayal, stress or anxiety.  A few examples of these situations are:

•  Dealing with the death of a loved one
• Getting divorced or married
• Having a baby
• Having a child leave or return home
• Dealing with family related issues
• Moving to a new residence
• Suffering a severe illness or injury
• Switching jobs
• Getting a job promotion
• Being laid off/fired from your job
• Experiencing money problems

When we are experiencing strong emotions, stress or anxiety our body tries to tell us that something just isn’t quite right.  For example, high blood pressure or an ulcer could develop after a particularly stressful event, such as the death of a loved one or losing one’s job.  There are a myriad of  physical signs that your emotional health is out of balance, they include:

•  Back pain
• Change in appetite (eating less or more food)
• Chest pain
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Dry mouth
• Extreme fatigue or tiredness
• General aches and pains
• Headaches (can be severe)
• Heart palpitations (feeling like your heart is racing)
• High blood pressure
• Insomnia (trouble sleeping)
• Lightheadedness
• Sexual problems
• Shortness of breath
• Stiff neck
• Sweating
• Upset stomach
• Weight gain or loss

Poor emotional health usually leads to a weakening of the body’s immune system, making it much more likely that you’ll pick up a cold, the flu, an infection or viruses during an emotionally difficult time.  Most people don’t recognize, or simply overlook, the fact that “good” changes can be just as stressful, sometimes even more so than “bad” changes.  It should be noted that any change can, and usually will, trigger emotions that can lead to stress and/or anxiety if not handled properly.

Most people do not take care of their health as well as they should during an emotionally difficult time, which adds to the problem.  It can be difficult to feel motivated to exercise, eat the nutritious foods you should or even take and medications your doctor has prescribed.  Abuse of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs can come into play during these emotionally challenging times as well, none of which are good for your body, but are often used to lean on.  So, how do we improve our emotional health?

First off, it is extremely important to recognize each of your emotions and understand why you are having them.  Sort out the causes of sadness, stress and/or anxiety in your life.  Is it a situation you have any control over?  If so, change it.  If it’s not a situation that you can change, decide what you can do about it?  You may decide that the only thing you do have control over in the entire situation is how you choose to react to it.  If that’s the case, control how you choose to react.

Express your feelings in appropriate ways.  If feelings of stress, sadness or anxiety are causing physical complications for you, keeping these feelings bottled up inside yourself will only make you feel worse.  Know that it’s OK to let your friends/loved ones know when something is bothering you or has you upset.  However, know too that your friends and family may not necessarily be able to help you deal with your feelings appropriately.  At these times, you may need to ask someone outside the situation (i.e., your family doctor, a counselor/psychiatrist or religious adviser) for advice and/or support in order to help you improve your emotional health.

Live a balanced life.  It is important to avoid obsessing about the problems in your life whether they be at work, school or home, that lead you to feel negative feelings.  Now that doesn’t mean you have to fake being happy each time you feel stressed, anxious or upset, in fact that can be detrimental.  It is very important to deal with all of your negative feelings, but it is equally important to focus on all of the positive things in your life too.   All too often, we get wrapped up in the bad things and forget to even recognize, let alone take time to be thankful for, all the positives.  At our house, I made my kids and I a gratitude journal to keep track of all the things that we are grateful for, that make us feel happy and the things that bring us peace.  Listing your blessings is a good way to give your health a boost and improve your overall outlook on life.

Another important step is to find ways of letting go of the things in life that make you feel stressed and overwhelmed.  When my kids get frustrated with a certain situation I take the m up to the lake.  They walk around the close by areas collecting rocks.  After they’ve found the collection that stood out to them for whatever reason, they throw each and every one of them into the lake with as much strength and fury as their little arms can give.  Sometimes they even shout out at the rocks until they hit the water with a big splash.  It’s been interesting to watch each of them as they go through their little ritual.  I’ve found that after doing this they are able to talk about it and get it off of their chests.  With the exception of one of them they are then able to move on in a forward and productive fashion having left their problems, stress, anxiety and emotions on the bottom of the lake.  Likewise, it is equally important to take (or make) time for things that you enjoy doing.  Replacing the negative emotions and feelings with a positive experience is a good way to balance things out.

Develop resilience. People who have resilience are able to cope with stress in a positive and healthy way.  Resilience is a tough one but can be learned and strengthened through different strategies.  Some of these strategies include having a circle of friends/family for social support, keeping a positive view of yourself and your abilities to handle situations as they arise, accepting change for what it is and not dwelling on the negative aspects it brings and keeping things in perspective (not turning the molehill into a mountain).

Actively calm your mind and body.  Relaxation methods, such as yoga and meditation, are helpful ways to bring your emotions into balance.  Meditation is a form of guided thought but can take many forms.  Some people meditate by exercising, stretching or deep breathing patterns.  Personally, when I need to focus on me and reign in my thoughts and emotions I get the best results from a workout…an intense workout…ya know, the kind that leaves me hobbling around like an 80 year old grandma for near a week!  Lol, seriously though, since we are all unique we will each experience our own “best results” from different forms of meditation. 

Take care of yourself.  In order to have good emotional health, it’s important to have good physical health; take care of your body by having a regular routine for healthy meals, getting proper amounts of sleep and exercising (which helps relieve pent-up tension and frustration).  As always, avoid overeating and don’t abuse drugs and/or alcohol; they could end up causing family and/or health problems.  No bueno.  Nope, not at all.

As the weather cools down we habitually turn to soups, chili’s and stews to help keep us warm.  Today I have a recipe idea for you that will add versatility to your fall and winter menu’s and protect your sanity from the kiddos walking in the house and turning their noses up at…yet another… pot of soup.  My kids love these sandwiches and we have fun thinking up different combinations to try.  They usually just pick their favorite kind of soup to go with it and voila! I’ve got dinner checked off the to do list in a hurry (which TOTALLY works for me)!  On top of that, and you can keep this little tidbit of information to yourself if you so choose, these sandwiches are SUPER easy to throw together and the clean up time is almost non-existent.

There are a ton of options with these so I’m just going to list some of our favorites.  Feel free to get as creative as you’d like, but keep in mind the higher you stack it, the more calories you add to your daily intake as well.  Try to avoid high calorie spreads  and moderate how much cheese you add, stick to a variety of colorful veggies to add flavor.

No matter what kind of sandwich you are making, you’ll start it the same way.  I always use a loaf of whole wheat french bread, but then again, I’m feeding an army.  If you don’t have a crowd at your house you can use hoagie rolls as well, or you could use the french bread and have leftovers (cause they are yummy the next day too).

Start by cutting the loaf of french bread in half, lengthwise.   Next you’ll need to hollow it out so you can fit all the fillings in.  To do this, remove the soft fluffy part of the loaf until you only have about an inch of bread surrounding the outside walls.  Do this to both halves of the loaf.  At this point, I take 2 wedges of light laughing cow cheese and spread them, one on each half of the loaf, to prevent the veggies from making the bread soggy while it’s in the oven.

Mediterranean Melt

• 2 wedges of light Mozzarella and Sun-dried Tomato flavor Laughing Cow Cheese
• 2 Grilled Chicken Breasts,sliced thinly
• 1 Tomato, sliced
• Red Onion slices, to taste
• 12 Artichoke Hearts, drained and quartered
• 1/2 cup Olives, sliced
• 2 cups Spinach

BLT+

• 2 wedges of light Swiss flavor Laughing Cow Cheese
• Lean Turkey Deli Meat
• 4 slices of Turkey Bacon, cooked until crisp
• Tomato, washed and sliced
• Romaine or Green Leaf Lettuce Leaves, washed, dried and shredded
• Avocado, sliced
• 2 slices of Mozzarella Cheese, halved

Meat n’ Melty Cheese

• Lunch meat
• 2-3 slices of Cheese, halved
• Pickle slices
• Mustard

When it comes to weight loss, there are some general rules that most people understand go hand in hand with the process.  Everyone knows if you want to lose weight, you have to eat “better” and most folks realize that exercise is a key component as well.  In today’s post I want to focus more on the nutrition side of weight loss than the exercise portion.  In fact, I want to talk specifically about protein and it’s role in weight loss…especially for women.

When most women hear the term protein associated with working out their minds pulls up images of muscle clad, vein popping bodybuilders and they instantly decide it’s not for them.  Oh reeeaally?   There are a lot of rumors floating around that mislead women into thinking that eating protein and working out will leave you looking like Popeye after downing a can of spinach or, worse yet, Arnorld Shwarzenegger.  I’m here to tell ya that it’s just NOT going to happen.  If only it were that easy!

Getting enough protein in your daily diet is no small task, especially for women.  I have had more female clients who shy away from meat and dairy products than male clients, which I can understand as I myself feel the same way about it; especially red meat.  Additionally, it’s a lot harder to take protein along with you when you are constantly on the go.  In general, protein takes prep work as well as refrigeration, making it harder to fit in during the day, especially on a busy day.  You’re not likely going to find many women pulling a grilled chicken breast out of their purse.

Protein is key in the process of weight loss.  It helps stabilize blood sugar by slowing down the rate that carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and it’s absorption into the bloodstream.  Even high glycemic carbs can be moderated so that your blood sugar doesn’t spike and crash like a roller coaster by pairing them with protein when eaten.  What does this mean?  Well, if you’re not riding the blood sugar roller coaster you won’t experience highs and lows in your energy level and those fun cravings that hit mid afternoon to eat everything in sight including the kitchen sink.  In short, control blood sugar and you’ll control cravings.  Controlling cravings leads to success in your weight loss goals.  Success equals a win-win situation!  See, protein is your friend!

While it is not commonly found in most people’s kitchens, it should be.  Quinoa is rapidly gaining attention as an amazing way to include fiber and protein in your diet.  So what is quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) and why should you include it in your diet?  I’ll tell you!

Quinoa is an amino acid-rich seed that is considered a grain by most people.  Actually, quinoa is a relative of leafy green veggies like spinach.  While it has been around for thousands of years, it has recently been rediscovered and is being called an ancient “grain”.  Quinoa has a creamy yet slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked that I quite enjoy in multiple types of dishes.  You can find quinoa in the local health food stores throughout the year (but I’ve also gotten it at WinCo in the bulk section as well as at Costco). 

As I said, quinoa has been around for thousands of years.  It originated in the Andean region of South America, where it was successfully domesticated 3000 to 4000 years ago for human consumption.  It was called “the gold of the Incas” as they were the first to notice that eating quinoa substantially increased the stamina of their warriors.  As such, they thought it sacred.  In fact, each year at planting time it was traditional for the Inca leader to plant the first quinoa seed using a solid gold shovel!   

The reason it kept their armies marching is the high nutritional value that quinoa offers.  Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids.  Quinoa’s amino acid profile is well balanced, which makes it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein consumption.  Quinoa is especially abundant in lysine, which is an amino acid essential for tissue growth and repair. 

As if the high (and complete) protein that quinoa brings to the table isn’t enough, it offers a host of other health-building nutrients as well.  Because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus, research is being done to see if this “grain” may be of value for people who experience migraine headaches, have diabetes and/or atherosclerosis. 

Preparation

Most boxed/pre-packaged quinoa has already been pre-rinsed for convenience.  The cooking instructions on the box will only suggest a brief rinse before cooking, if it mentions it at all.  But, if you get your quinoa out of the bulk section of any store, I promise you it has not been pre-rinsed. 

Quinoa has a soapy type coating on the outside of each seed called saponins.  If you’ve gotten your quinoa out of the bulk section your first step is to remove the saponins so that it does not taste bitter.  There are two ways to go about it.  You can either soak the grain in water for a few hours, change the water and resoak or rinse the quinoa in ample cold running water for several minutes in either a fine strainer or a cheesecloth.  If you choose to rinse them under running water, use your hands to rub the seeds together, this will help remove the saponins quicker and more efficiently.  Removal of the saponin helps with digestion, and trust me you’ll want to remove it, as the soapy nature of saponin makes your body react much as it would to a laxative… Okay, consider yourself warned. 

One way to cook quinoa is like you would brown rice; bring two cups of water to a boil with one cup of grain, cover with a lid at a low simmer and cook it for 10 – 15 minutes (or until the germ separates from the seed).  Another way to cook it would be to use a rice cooker, just like you would for rice (both cooking cycle and water amounts).

Once you’ve cooked it, fruits, vegetables, lean meats and seasonings can be added to make a wide range of dishes. Just like you can with rice, chicken, beef  or vegetable stock can be substituted for water during cooking to add flavor.  You can also serve quinoa as a high-protein breakfast cereal mixed with honey, almonds, and/or fruit, which is one of my favorite ways to eat it.

Quinoa Tabbouleh

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 2 1/4 teaspoons sea salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cups tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1 cup green onions, green and white parts diced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• Pepper

Directions

1. Place quinoa in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring almost constantly until the seeds turn deeper in color, about three minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and a 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool and fluff with a fork.
3. Combine olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, garlic and parsley. Stir in cooled quinoa. Season to taste with a little bit of additional salt and black pepper, if desired.  You can serve it immediately if you’d like to but it’s better if you let it refrigerate for a few hours to let flavors blend.

This is a super yummy salad that can be eaten on it’s own, but it’s also good served with grilled chicken and steamed asparagus.  If you serve it as a side-dish, this recipe will feed between 6 and 8, if you eat it all by it’s lonesome your looking at more like 3 or 4.  Okay, now go try it and tell me what you think of it!

One of the questions I always ask a new client is’ “How is your current nutrition?”  My goal in asking this question is to get a picture of how they eat on a daily basis and how they feel about eating out vs. eating from home.  It works, trust me.  In discussing current nutritional habits, one of the biggest concerns that usually comes up is that of cooking “healthy”.  When asked to expound upon their concerns, I usually hear something like, “I don’t mind chicken, but I don’t want to eat it every night for the rest of my life, let alone with dry brown rice and steamed broccoli.  Eating healthy doesn’t taste good, there aren’t that many options and really, when you look at the overall picture, I haven’t had much success with it anyway.  What a waste of time for such little results!  And that’s if I get any results from it at all!” 

Upon hearing these words (yet again) my reformed inner food addict gets cranky.  Which is rather ironic seeing that not all that long ago I felt the exact same way!  I find myself wanting to defend produce-kind, testify that whole grains are they key to energy and shout from the rooftops that lean proteins are not only good for you but that all three of these nutrients combined will give you more health benefits than you could ever imagine.  How could you say that they don’t taste good and that they don’t give you results worth sticking around for?! 

Yeah, sorry about that.  I’m a little passionate about good nutrition…sometimes I get a little carried away.

As I’ve thought about ways to convince people that healthy cooking is where it’s at, I’ve had a lot of ideas come and go.  One of my first ideas was to type up recipes and hand them out to new clients.  After all, when I first started I had no idea what TO eat.  I knew what NOT to eat, but didn’t have a clue otherwise.  That is one of the most frustrating things for a person with a food addiction…not knowing what to eat, which quickly turns into not feeling like there is anything you CAN eat.  It seemed to help, and continues to help, some of my clients.  The problem I found was that only those who already had some intrinsic motivation really use the recipes, everyone else loses them in the never ending paper shuffle at home.  That’s not good enough stats to settle for.  It doesn’t help enough people. 

Another idea I had, and I’ve written about here at transformationtrainer.com before, was joining with the South Jordan Fitness & Aquatic Center’s quarterly Nutrition Fair.  I donate my time to help make the food that is highlighted as well as being there during the fair to answer any questions that attendees have concerning nutrition, exercise or a healthy lifestyle in general.  That seems to help some people, but some people are too shy to approach me in a big group setting like that, they need more of a small group or one on one type setting.  Again, that’s not good enough.  So after thinking about it some more, I had another idea. 

It came to me as I contemplated my goals as to what it is I want to be able to give each of my clients, and truly all those I come in contact with.  I chose Transformation Training as my business name for multiplereasons.  First, I had undergone a transformation of my own and wanted to help people who wanted the same for themselves, who were willing to put forth the effort and hard work it inevitably takes to achieve such a transformation.  But too, I wanted to provide training, and not just workouts, that would allow people to make positive changes for themselves for the rest of their lives. 

Each client I’ve had has become a friend to me, though I’ve clicked more with some than others, each of them has had a positive effect in my life.  I want their association with me to be just as positive for them and to benefit them for years to come.  I want them to come away from our time together having learned information that will help them make decisions that will benefit the health of not only themselves, but their families as well.  Because when it comes right down to it, if you don’t have your health and your loved ones, what do you have?  Not much worth writing home about, huh?  

So, I’ve been bouncing this one around for awhile trying to get all the details worked out, to ensure that it turns out like I have it in my head.  There’s nothing worse than having an idea for a project pictured in your mind and then having it turn into utter chaos before your eyes…been there, done that, so I can tell ya firsthand, it sucks.  Enough said.  I’ve mentioned it to some people to see what they think, would they be interested in a class of this kind and how do they think it would be received by others, and from the responses I’ve gotten so far, people (besides me) are excited about it.   

So what is my big idea?  Healthy cooking classes!  At each class, a group of recipes will be demonstrated, showing people how easy it is to put healthy food together.  At the end of class, those in attendance will have a chance to experience healthy eating as each class will include dinner (a sampling of each recipe made that night), printed recipes and a shopping list to take home with them as well.  Each class will have a theme (for example, “Fast Fixes” or “Soups and Stews”) that indicates what will be demonstrated.  Due to location arrangements, spots are limited.

The first class is set to be held on August 3 at 7pm (per person cost TBA).  We will be highlighting “Summer Salads”, all of which are perfect for any occasion, from dinnertime with the family, the backyard BBQ or entertaining guests.  Whether you prefer sweet or savory there will be something for everyone!  I’m super excited about getting these classes started, and I hope all of you are too!  Hope to see you there! 

For more information on attending, to reserve your spot or to share any of your thoughts, comments, questions or suggestions you may have regarding class, feel free to leave a comment to this post, email me at laurabutterscpt@gmail.com or call me at 801-859-5013.