Not My Imagination - Out of Shape!

Wow. I wasn't kidding. I knew I had not been as consistent with my strength training lately (the last couple weeks) and had maybe been a weee lax in the diet department. But after running last weekend and doing Ripped in 30 and Yoga Meltdown so far this week, I was surprised to wake up SORE! Me, SORE from 2 days of Jillian! I noticed it mainly in my abs and my shoulders/arms (presumably from all those bloody push ups she makes us do). Anyway, it was a wake-up call that I just can't let myself slack like that too often. Today I took a day off from working out but will be up and out at 6 am to do a 4+ mile run.

Doing it every day!

 I  made sure that I had a nice sized salad every day for the last week or more at dinner. A few of the salads I had in restaurants but the majority of them I made at home. I prefer to chop my own romaine lettuce which is not as convenient but I just like the quality of the lettuce better than the pre-cut bagged salads at the store. At the Farmer's Market they sell different types of salad mix that I also enjoy and will have to remember to pick some up. I'm trying to keep in line with My Plate and make sure half of my plate is fruits and vegetables. I would rather fill up more on greens than meat or pasta/rice/bread, although trying to keep my grain portion to a quarter of my plate when I am not always eating meat is kind of hard.

I also started having quinoa for breakfast again. For a great breakfast quinoa recipe, see my previous post here.

Nothing like a warm bowl of quinoa in the morning with blueberries, walnuts and almond milk! This really keeps me full longer. Even though I like or should I say need to eat every few hours, I find that when I eat my mid-morning snack I don't particularly feel like eating that much, just a little bit of whatever it is (almonds or fruit) satisfies me pretty quickly.

I am SO glad I tried this!

Speaking of almond milk - I had never tried Trader Joe's Almond Milk before, I have to say I am not going back to my other brand! While I won't be able to buy Trader Joe's at a bulk store, it is way better. It doesn't separate, even when you pour it into coffee, which is what grossed me out about almond milk in coffee. I had switched to soy only for my coffee. Then I was caught up in all the bad soy press again when researching online, and didn't know WHAT I should put in my coffee. I had even temporarily (2 weeks) gone back to organic cow's milk. Trader Joe's is low in sugar, fat and calories and smooth creamy. And, I can put it in my coffee without it separating! LOVE!

Photo is a little blurry but you get the idea!

I even managed to bring carrots to snack on at work! Although it didn't keep me from dabbling in a little bad office food (pastries on Monday morning, and some to-die-for Italian bread with chocolate bits in it this morning), I'm sure it kept me from going overboard. But I am not all about deprivation...just moderation. Peace.

I was not compensated for this post. These views and opinions are my own.

The Quinoa Bomb-Diggity Breakfast

And it all started with this

Does your current breakfast leave you unsatisfied? Are you consuming a sugary carb load that only leaves you hungry 30 minutes later? I suggest you change up your game a bit. Healthy breakfasts with more protein do not have to be all eggs or nut butters. Quinoa is a grain that contains more proteins than other grains. It is wheat and gluten free. I have fallen in love with it mainly because you can eat it at all times of the day, and as a main dish or a side. You can even have quinoa for breakfast. You must try my Quinoa Bomb-Diggity!

You will need:

1 cup quinoa (I used organic from Trader Joe's)
1 cup almond milk - can also substitute with cow's milk or soy milk
1 cup water
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted (please don't skip the toasting, the flavor is amazing)
Honey to taste

Strainer for rinsing quinoa

Begin by rinsing the quinoa. You must use a fine strainer or else all your grain will go down the drain. Put the quinoa, water, and milk in a medium sauce pan on high.

I live for unsweetened almond milk

No sugar. Most people don't realize how much sugar is in regular milk

 

Bring to a boil. Once boiling turn down to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes or until most of the water/milk has been absorbed. Remove from heat and cover for about 5 minutes.

If you haven't already, toast your walnuts. The best way to do this is in a toaster oven for about 3-1/2 minutes. Toasting the walnuts adds an incredible flavor that really makes this dish.

I put my walnuts on a piece of foil and hit toast!

Stir in the cinnamon. I'll be honest, I used more cinnamon than I put in this recipe because I really like cinnamon but I know its not for everyone. I used 1/2 a tablespoon. Also stir in the blueberries and cranberries to get them warm and softened.

Spoon out into individual bowls. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts. Drizzle with honey. Enjoy.

Cooking notes: I highly recommend using unsweetened almond milk if you are trying to watch your diet. Even the 1% organic milk I feed my kids has 14 grams of sugar per serving. Make sure to also go easy on the honey. If you are really trying to restrict your sweets you can use stevia extract instead, but make sure you have tried it before as the taste isn't for everyone. Stevia extract is natural, and sugar and calorie free. You can't go wrong with blueberries, so you can always add more and skip the cranberries for less sugar as well.