Thursday, March 28, 2013

Honey Mustard Dressing


How about a healthy homemade salad dressing that is as easy to make as it is yummy to eat?

3 basic ingredient plus one "secret" surprise ingredient

Greek Yogurt
Yellow Mustard
Honey

What adds that "secret" flavor boost???

Hmmmm?

DILL PICKLE JUICE!!

Or if you don't have any on hand you could use Distilled Vinegar or even Lemon Juice ... but I think the Dill Pickle Juice is AMAZING in this yumminess...



Trying Out Blogging from iPad

What I ate Wednesday...

Greek Yogurt based Chocolate "pudding" Dip

Greek Yogurt based Chocolate "pudding" Dip served with Sliced Strawberries.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

GLOSSARY OF FOOD ADDITIVES

This Entry is a work in progress.  I will update as I continue my discoveries!

I wanted to create a place to easily reference back to great resources on the topic of packaged food ingredients and additives.

So here goes!

GENERAL REFERENCE:
38 Non-Organic Ingredients Found in 'USDA Organic' Foods    
   

GLOSSARY
  • Carrageenan - extracted from a seaweed that is commonly found in the Atlantic Ocean near Britain, Continental Europe and North America.  used to thicken and prevent separation & crystallization.
    Read More...
  • Maltodextrine
    • negative...
    • positive...
    • neutral... 

Thursday, January 24, 2013

I Am Still Here! :)

I have not lost focus on my health journey but clearly I have not made updating this blog a consistent part of my plan! 

Here is what I have been doing...

  • I am active DAILY at FitClick.com.  That is my main tool for food and exercise tracking.  
  • I check in several times a week with a group on Facebook where we hold each other accountable to how much we MOVE everyday 
  • I visit Curves at least 3 times per week.  (I fell short on this in September/October during the kids' marching band season but back on track ever since!)
  • I try to average 10,000 steps per day.  Some days might be at lot less.  Some days might be a lot more.
I have also been trying to add some new changes.  As I have been continuing to understand my complicated relationship with food I am always on the lookout for ways I can improve my habits in really healthy, beneficial ways.  I am asking myself the question "How Clean Can I Eat?"  Here is what I mean...
  • Can I eliminate refined sugars from my diet?
  • Can I eliminate refined grains from my diet?
  • Can I eliminate "bad" oils from my diet? (anything hydrogenated and/or highly processed like Canola)
  • Can I eliminate all forms of MSG from my diet? 
  • Can I eliminate artificial color/flavor from my diet?
The list could go on and on!  As I ponder these questions I know that I need more tools and knowledge!  So my quest has begun and I have been discovering great blogs that have inspired me and given me some new resources to find that I can answer YES to some of the above questions (or at least make great improvements!) 

I want to do a better job of documenting some of what I am learning.  I am not sure how this blog will develop but I am thinking of posting links to other blogs that I find helpful and possibly my attempts at recipes I have discovered.  Stay tuned!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Wendy Approved Recipe - Chocolate Protein Oat Pancake

From the kitchen of Wendy Scott… 

Chocolate Oatmeal Protein Pancake

Makes 1 pancake

INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup old-fashioned oats
1 serving chocolate protein powder
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder- natural unsweetened
2 scoops organic stevia extract
            (or 1 stevia packet)
1 Tbsp. lecithin granules
1 pinch sea salt
1 large egg
water

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine dry ingredients in bowl
2. Add egg and hand mix until combined -mixture will be very thick
3. Stir in small amounts of water until desired pancake batter consistency
4. Pour batter on heated skillet
5. Cook on medium heat until one side is lightly browned and solid enough to flip
6. Turn the pancake over with a spatula and cook the other side until lightly browned and firm
7. Serve immediately or cool and wrap for an on-the-go meal

NOTES:
  • Garnish with chocolate chips and/or stevia 
  • Add ground flax seed
  • Use 2 or 3 egg whites instead of whole egg  
  • Use unsweetened almond milk instead of water  
  • Mix in chocolate chips (I do this for my kids)  
  • Top with natural peanut butter or almond butter  
  • Omitting lecithin granules will work but batter will not be as consistent and final pancake not as fluffy 
  • Nutrition Facts do not include chocolate chips or other optional ingredients and are based on 21 g Aria Women’s Protein Chocolate Shake Mix.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Wendy Approved Recipe - Chocolate Fruit Dip (Greek yogurt!)

From the kitchen of Wendy Scott…

Chocolate Fruit Dip

Makes 1 Cup
(To share or not to share?  That is the question!)

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Greek yogurt- plain/nonfat
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder- natural unsweetened
6 scoops organic stevia extract
            (or 3 packets stevia)
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 dash ground allspice
1 pinch sea salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine all ingredients in bowl
2. Hand mix until creamy
3. Serve immediately or refrigerate


NOTES:
  • Serve with strawberries or try with your favorite fruits
  • Optional stir-ins…
    -Nuts (try almonds or walnuts)
    -Ground flax seed (healthy fat)
    -Mashed banana
    -Chocolate protein powder
  • Nutrition Facts do not include fruit or optional ingredients.


Monday, July 23, 2012

Color Run

Start out with nice clean white running outfit...


Run a 5K with 12,000 other color lovers and enjoy...