~Low Carb Pizza! Say What??~

Just in case you missed my last post...I am following a ~Low Carb "Diet"...in moderation~


Ok so the only way to omit the carbs from pizza is to omit the dough...uh oh! This is exactly why this type of eating plan is only temporary. I will say however that my level of fullness hasn't exactly changed. After dinner, I am left feeling satisfied and only missing the taste of the carbs I have eliminated. I do wake up in the morning feeling very hungry and make sure I have a hefty serving of ~Oatty Oat Oats~ to help make up for my lack of carbs in the evening. I had a good friend ask me if I was worried that I would gain weight back and then some after all is said and done. Let me remind you that I am not depriving myself of the healthy carbs, I am just choosing to consume them before 5 o'clock. But, believe me this is only a short plan and I am very much looking forward to resuming my normal eating habits.

While my family gets to eat this...






I'm eating this...


Oven-Baked Cheese Crisps

Ingredients:

* 1 cup grated hard cheese (such as Parmesean) - NOT the dried powdery stuff

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Note on type of cheese: You can use any kind, really, but the results will be different. Hard cheeses, such as Parmesan, Romano, Asagio, etc, will make a crisp "shell," whereas cheddar will be more chewy and "lacey" (the fat separates out), though still firm. Softer cheeses such as mozzerella will not work well.

Toss cheese with any seasonings you'd like -- garlic powder (about half a teaspoon for a cup of cheese), hot pepper powder, even cinnamon. Or leave plain.

Pile 1 to 4 Tablespoons of cheese (depending on the size you want) on a baking sheet covered with a silicone mat or parchment paper oiled on both sides. Flatten the tops so they are in more or less an even pile. There should be at least two inches between smaller mounds, 4 inches between larger ones.



And then I just basically sauteed the pizza toppings in a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar and topped with cheese~


In the mix...Spinach, Red Bell, Portobello, Broccoli, Garlic, Onion, Garlic Herb Chicken Sausage...YUMMY

~Oats in a Dark Chocolate Dream~

Oats in a Jar...hmmm sounds mighty interesting to me. Oh look I have a pretty empty jar of Dark Chocolate Dreams...I guess I better give it a try. Oh WOW!! What a fantastic idea! YUM!



Not only do you end up with an easy clean up but you also get EVERY last drop of this dark chocolate dream. Adding the hot oatmeal just melted the chocolate peanut butter and gave me a sweet taste in every bite. Thanks to Fit Foodie Finds for so many amazing ideas and recipes!




I feed a family of four so i'll share my Oatty Oat Oats recipe with ya'll...

1 Cup of Multigrain Oats
1 Cup Oat Bran
1/4 Cup Flax Seeds
2 1/2 Cups Water
1 Cup Vanilla Almond Milk
Bring to a Simmer/Slight Boil, Cover and Cook until most water is absorbed and mixture thickens about 10 minutes. Steel Cut Oats take much longer!

I'll do an assortment of different toppings or sometimes add some banana or blueberries into the mix before cooking. For the Oats in a Jar, I layered Bananas, Oatmeal, Peanut Flour Sauce, and then topped with raisins, banana, and peanut flour sauce. This made a larger serving of oatmeal than I usually eat. That's okay cause I had two lil surfer girls very interested in helping out AND just wait till you hear all about my NO CARBS after 5 O'clock commitment...Umph!

~Blueberry "Cupcakes"~

Tomorrow is the Easter Party for the Lil Surfer Girls and I signed up to make cupcakes! After all the Birthday Cake eaten over the week from their party last weekend and cupcakes for a birthday at school today, I thought how 'bout Blueberry Muffins instead! There's always an abundance of sweets at the class parties anyway so how about something with a little nutrition to go with the sweet!



Mini Blueberry Muffins
~1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
~1 Cup Flour (Garbanzo, Almond or All Purpose)
~1/4 Cup Wheat Bran
~2 teaspoons baking powder
~1 teaspoon cinnamon
~1/2 teaspoon salt

~1/2 Cup melted butter
~2 Eggs
~1 teaspoon vanilla
~1/2 Cup 100% maple syrup
~1/2 Cup vanilla Almond Milk sweetened

Combine dry ingredients and Mix
Combine wet ingredients and slightly beat eggs
Stir into dry mix and add more almond milk to desired consistency
Stir in Blueberries...I eyeballed the amount but about a cup.

Preheat oven to 375. Fill Mini Muffin Tins about half and bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.




We couldn't help but sneak a taste and we all gave it a thumbs up. I think they could have been a little sweeter so maybe add some agave nectar or brown sugar if you so desire.

~Wrap It Up~

After a pretty rocky start for Week One in my 6 Week Interval Training, I am ready to make a big come back in Week Two!! Setting goals is important but don't let it get you down when certain goals aren't met. There's always tomorrow and I find it's best to live in the moment instead of thinking back of what didn't go your way. You are in charge of your happiness so let's create an awesome week for ourselves!

Speaking of creations...I am big on wrapping it up! Especially when it's the end of the week and time to refresh the fridge and pantry. Seems like any scraps can be mixed up and wrapped in a multi-grain/whole wheat tortilla and be super delish! I wish I were better at meal planning and mapped out my weekly menus and followed recipes but it's a busy life and my fitness takes priority and luckily eating well comes naturally to me. I hope some of my creations sparks some ideas for a quick meal in your house!




I pretty much always start by sauteing onions, garlic, peppers etc...then I add in any veggies I have: spinach, olives, tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms...



I like to cook a big serving of grains (brown rice, quinoa, couscous) early in the week and this is usually a day that I cook a nice family dinner. I use the grains for everything from salad to wraps through out the week for my lunches and as a side for our family dinners.



I LOVE LOVE LOVE my tortillas toasted. There's just something super satisfying about a crunch with lunch!



And then again sometimes I just pile on fresh ingredients on a toasted tortilla for a tasty snack!


What's your favorite thing to munch at lunch?

~Oatty Oat Oats~

WoW! I have been eating some really good oats lately! Wanna ROCK your Oatmeal World??? Just visit the recipes at Fit Foodie Finds
I did and I am FOREVER changed!


I am not finished with my training plan for this week...although I plan to run 4 miles at some point tomorrow...I'll just leave you with Dinner:

Grilled Chicken Legs with Mediterranean Couscous and Pita & Hummus


Chop Mushroom and Spinach and then saute' in lil olive oil and then stir in Couscous


Chop Tomato and Olive stir in following Couscous


Mix in some Feta(tomato basil tonight) and a lil garlic


Voila' err How do you say in Greek???


as per Rita's request after busting me having this as a snack the other night...goat cheese stuffed dates!

~Foods of the Rainbow~

~Whitttle Your Middle: Day Two~

Tonight for dinner it would have been lovely if I could have planned a recipe from the many searches I've discovered. But, once again dinner plans were put on fast forward with little time to plan...oh the joys of a 2 and 4 year old! Luckily, the collaborative effort between myself and Craig created a super tasty dinner!
We had Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa with black olives, steamed mixed veggies: green beans, cauliflower, and carrots. Craig whipped up a tasty pan-grilled Tilapia with his marinade concoction...Olive Oil, Lemon juice, Sea salt, Cumin, Ancho Chili Powder, and Turmeric and a small side of cottage cheese to get in my dairy! A nice glass of Shiraz finishing it all off with 5 Raw Almonds and a small square of dark chocolate! YUM-MO!

I love Nutrition research so much! So much that I received a degree BS in Nutrition back in 1998...one day I'll put it to professional use but until then...I hope you enjoyed this blog post and find it useful in your life.

Without planning out a specific recipe...I still did pretty good according to this article:

Belly Fat Burning Foods
By Laura Nowak, eHow Contributor
Belly Fat Burning Foods | eHow.com

While there are no secret foods that just cure belly fat, certain foods will help your digestive tract, which will aid in losing weight around the middle section. Dieters must remember in addition to eating healthy to partake in regular exercise.

1. Complex Carbohydrates
Starting your day with a breakfast complete with whole-grain cereal and low-fat milk or oatmeal and fruit provides your body with the complex carbohydrates and fiber it needs. They raise your metabolism, and lower your insulin levels, avoiding a build-up of fat storage.

2. Protein
When you need a snack, try adding more protein to your diet, such as lean meats like turkey or chicken. It takes your body longer to process protein than it does fats or refined carbohydrates.

3. Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Eating fatty fish, such as tuna or salmon, aids in burning belly fat by changing the levels of the leptin hormone in your body. Leptin can directly alter your metabolism, deciding whether you will work off those calories or if they will be turned into fat.

4. Nuts
You should supplement your diet with a variety of nuts. Macadamia nuts promote a healthy heart, and add fiber to help your digestion, while natural peanut butter is rich with immune boosting and anti-oxidant vitamins B and E.

5. Oils
Try switching to Olive Oil as it decreases high cholesterol, and choose the light-virgin olive oil because it is rich in anti-oxidants.

follow my training!!!

~Foods of the Rainbow~

Here's What's Cooking
Well I may not be responsible for the Turkey or Ham or one of those more prominent Thanksgiving dishes served at the dinner table...and it's a good thing because what i've got going on seems to already be pushing my time limit! Wow how did they do it way back when??? I've sure had fun getting prepared with my nontraditional creations...that kitchen waiting to be cleaned surely won't be as fun...and i'm out of wine!
This is what i'm bringing to the table tomorrow and if you're searching for some last minute recipes...these aren't that difficult...especially if you don't have a 2 and 4 year old!

First up is a recipe from an old friend who just so happens to be one of the first places I celebrated Thanksgiving away from home. In fact it's one of the fondest Thanksgiving memories I have and hold close to my heart...the food was so delish! And if you're in the Kansas City area you just better get one of his Cheesecakes!!

Wait i think my bread is done...yep sure is...luckily i didn't burn it like i did the cranberry muffins yesterday!

Ok that bread is recipe number dos that I just had to try from my favorite blogger chic Her Mom does a segment on her blog with recipes that I LOVE LOVE LOVE and well Rita insisted on us doing something with our Pumpkins..we did the coconut pumpkin bread!

And then there's my standard potluck hit that my sister-in-law introduced me to, which is simply corn and cream cheese in a crock pot! I'll post some photos of this tomorrow!

Eat Drink and Be Merry and don't forget to be Thankful for all that you've got!

~Foods of the Rainbow~

Last week at the farmer's market, there was a table set up with an assortment of peppers. They were all so beautiful and only $1.50 for a basket. I just had to get some and was happy to have a recipe to try out. I may not be able to say it very well...I sure can cook it very well. Wow these were amazing! And although they're not very kid friendly all of the sides (refried black beans, polenta, and guacamole) were and I just made quesadilla's for the girls. They sure were interested and curious of our peppers...maybe one day!

I know this isn't a picture perfect plate but it was late after a full day of family fun and oh so worth the post anyway!

~Foods of the Rainbow~

When we woke up this morning, it was just like any ole morning. After the girls spend time jumping around in our bed to get us up, they run to the pantry and pull out around 4 boxes of cereal and proceed to eat at least two bowls each mixing 'em all together. Today I was like...don't you want something different?? How 'bout pancakes today...just to find out I'm all out of the easy peasy box mix. Guess we'll just have to make them from scratch....

CHOCOLATE CHIP BANANA PANCAKES
1 cup of wheat flour


1/2 cup of white flour


2 tablespoons sugar


2 teaspoons baking powder


3/4 t sea salt



mix


1 large egg lightly beaten and 2 tablespoons olive oil


1 1/3 cup Milk


Mix and add one really ripe mashed banana


stir in handful of dark/semi-sweet chocolate chips~1/2+cup


Cook 1/4 cup pours on preheated griddle


BEST.



PANCAKES.



EVER.



SERIOUSLY.

~Foods of the Rainbow~

Balsamic Glazed Tofu
I am a one hit wonder kind of a cook. Seems like I'm not able to repeat a dish exactly the same. I really like looking up a recipe here and there and then combining them with some other personal favorite ingredients and presto...

MY Creation

I encourage you to discover your inner chef and experiment with the art of cooking! At the end of the day, the most valuable "art" is sitting together as a family, eating wholesome healthy meals that you've all played a role in creating!

Tofu is a good source of protein and a lot leaner than meats. It' like a sponge and just absorbs all the flavors you add too it. Toss if with you choice of veggies and brown rice or quinoa and you will be doing your body GOOD!

~Foods of the Rainbow~

PIZZA!!! Pizza can be a deliciously healthy meal that your kids are bound to love. If you supply them with lots of colorful toppings and let them decorate their own, you just never know what new veggie they will fall in love with...even if just for a day! We have pizza once a week whether we use one of the three trader joe's variety...whole wheat, garlic herb or plain or we make our own using a bread maker on the pizza dough setting...perfect crust and enough for the lil surfer girls to make their own pizzas too! ...oh and a perfect leftover to pack for school lunch!

Here's our recipe for Amazing Whole Wheat Pizza Crust:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Our bread maker pizza dough setting takes 50 minutes with mixing and rising so not sure if you do it by hand or mixer how long you have to let it rise, you might want to Google that or just wait until it's nice a puffy and doubles in size! You can refrigerate it in a bowl coated with olive oil or freeze until ready to use...but let it get to room temperature before you shape it. OHHH and we have a Pampered Chef Pizza stone and that may have something to do with why our pizzas are amazing!

~Foods of the Rainbow~

We made our 2nd batch of fruit leather today. We did it without going to the grocery store and just using things we already had. It's cooking right now but the puree' sure tastes delish...we can't wait to enjoy it tomorrow.
Here's what we did...

Picked and cut figs from fig tree oh and a few oranges too.
Added some ingredients on hand: frozen pineapple and mango and 100% raspberry preserves.
Mix and taste and taste and mix.
Simmer stove top for about 10-15 minutes...added a little orange, peach, mango juice. (100% juice of course!)
Blend and added a squirt of honey and a splash of vanilla.
Pour onto "oven safe" saran wrap on baking dish.
A couple more little tastes...
Compost for a happy earth and some happy lil surfer girls!
Now it's "dehydrating" in the oven at about 150 for a few hours or until firm. I'll usually cook this in the evening and shut the oven off, remove first thing in the morning and cut. It smells incredible right now!!!

~Foods of the Rainbow~

We've been lucky enough to stumble across The Good Food Factory a time or two on the rare occasion Rita and I get to veg out just the two of us. Every time she wants to race to the kitchen and make whatever they're making! She's always been interested in what's going on in the kitchen and we've always encouraged both girls to explore their food...even if there's a huge mess to show for it. After the fruit roll-up episode we did race to the kitchen to try our own version. After Google-ing a few other "fruit leather" recipes, we made up or own and it was YUMMY! We look forward to making a new batch tomorrow and this time we'll use all the ripe figs on the fig tree in our back yard!