October Unprocessed 2012

Ready for October?! It's coming at you fast. I love fall and the changing colors and cool temperatures. However sometimes these fall months can come to be a bit more indulgent as the holidays sneak up on us. So let's start the holiday season right with

OCTOBER UNPROCESSED 2012

 

Started by Eating Rules in 2009, he set out to go a month without eating processed foods. From there, hundreds of fellow bloggers and readers and hopped on the unprocessed bandwagon and are making an effort to change their October. Will you?

Be sure to check out his post on what goes in to this month and even sign up!

What is processed? Here is his "kitchen definition":

Obviously there’s a wide range of implications in that word, and we will probably each define it slightly differently for ourselves. My definition is this:
Unprocessed food is any food that could be made by a person with reasonable skill in a home kitchen with whole-food ingredients.
I call it “The Kitchen Test.” If you pick up something with a label (if it doesn’t have a label, it’s probably unprocessed), and find an ingredient you’d never use in your kitchen and couldn’t possibly make yourself from the whole form, it’s processed.
It doesn’t mean you actually have to make it yourself, it just means that for it to be considered “unprocessed” that you could, in theory, do so.

I love this. I love that he is encouraging people to make a change - and if you can only commit to a week, that's great too! But just imagine what a month could do for you and your family's health! Here is to a healthy and unprocessed October!

A Lesson from Popeye

 

Get this. 

A new Swedish study done on mice found that nitrates, like those found naturally in spinach, beets (yes, dad), chard and lettuce had a "powerful effect" on boosting muscle strength. One group of mice was given water enriched with nitrate for a week and their muscles, compared to the control group, were much stronger at the end of the week...particularly in their legs and feet. Better yet, they had higher concentrations of two proteins involved in the body's calcium balance - which is important in muscle contraction. These stronger mice were given an amount of nitrate that is equal to what a human would get from 7 to 10 ounces of fresh spinach. 

So what are you waiting for...go eat some spinach!

Almond-Crusted Warm Goat Cheese Salad with Cherries 

 Spinach Ricotta Quiche

Spinach & Chicken Stir Fry with Raspberries

 

Round-Up

Here's the latest happenings - recipes, workouts and fitness tips. Enjoy!

Anyone else have a garden of zucchini exploding? Try this zucchini bake! And a bonus...it has quinoa in it!

 

I thought this article was pretty interesting. I'm guessing a lot of us have been in this situation...so you might agree with the worst things you could say to someone dieting. 

 

You know I love my kale chips...so here is a twist! Try these sun-dried tomato cheezy kale chips.

I'd say most of us are looking for ways to build endurance, right? Well, check out this list of things to do to build endurance. Nothing too new, but always a good reminder!

Cilantro...lime...and sweet potatoes. What more could you ask for! Check out these grilled sweet potatoes!

Wild Wednesday

Between a vacation last week and getting back into the groove of things with work and then a holiday yesterday (only in Utah...), I've neglected the dear blog. Sorry about that. I'll be back to writing again soon! Until then, here are some recent finds I thought you might be interested in!

Sweet Potato Chocolate Chunk Cookies - Who wants to try making these with me?!

 

 Is healthy food really more expensive? - or is that just an excuse?

 

This medicine ball interval workout looks pretty dang awesome!

How hard do you push yourself? And can you go harder?

 

Chips and salsa has always been my favorite food...and this combination of salt & lime and strawberry salsa seems to scream summer!

 

Catch ya later!

 

Friday's Favorites

Oh yes, I am alive. Sorry about the lack of posting. My goal for next week? Actually write on my blog. I know, I'm really shooting for the stars with that one.

Until next week, here are some of my favorites from the blog world recently. Hope this week has been great!

 Banana Splits on a Stick...those look and sound delicious!

Got questions about blueberries? This should answer them.

These chicken asparagus wraps look divine. 

 French toast reminds me of summer mornings, waking up and going for a hike with my family and coming home to eat a big breakfast. Not that we eat french toast very often...but still. 

 

This new 30-20-10 workout seems really cool, and totally do-able for ANY fitness level. Try it out!

 

 

So you like chicken caesar salad? Try it in a burger!

 

 

 

Get On Your Feet!

…get up, and make it happen! Thanks for the intro, Gloria!

Sitting is something a lot of us do most of the day. In fact, I would guess you are sitting while reading this. So go ahead and stand up to make yourself feel better after reading this.

You’ve probably heard that sitting has been seen to lead to health problems. In an article I recently read it said this:

“numerous studies show rates of heart disease, diabetes and obesity are doubled and even tripled in people who sit a lot. Part of the problem with sitting is that it stops the circulation of lipase, an enzyme that breaks down fats. So instead of being burned by your muscles, when you’re sitting fat recirculates in your bloodstream where it may end up stored as body fat, clogging arteries or contributing to disease.

In fact, simply standing up as opposed to sitting engages muscles and helps your body process fat and cholesterol in a positive way, regardless of the amount of exercise you do.”

Pretty crazy, right? But it is also something we can do something about. Like standing up NOW.

A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine even found that the longer a person sits at a desk at work, the greater their chances are of being or becoming overweight. Sitting for long hours also puts you at risk of back pain, particularly if you sit with poor posture, leg cramps, tense muscles and, of course, out of sheer boredom.

So here are some tips for sitting less and getting healthy:

- the average person can burn 60 extra calories each hour just by standing instead of sitting
- take the opportunity to stand rather than sit as often as you can. Stand while watching your kids play at the park, stand while you talk on the phone or watching TV, etc.
- Your body can only tolerate being in one position for about 20 minutes before it starts to feel uncomfortable, according to the Mayo Clinic. So about every 15 minutes, stand, stretch, walk around or change your position for at least 30 seconds.

Get on your feet!

And while you’re at it, here are some recipes you might want to try out this weekend. Have a good one!

Black Bean Quinoa Burgers

Cookie Dough Baked Oatmeal

Creamy Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

Whole Wheat Crackers

Friday’s Favorites

Hi, friends! Here is another round of Friday's Favorites! Hope you have a stellar weekend! I know I’m looking forward to a fun St. Patricks day party and some (hopefully) good weather!

- Emotional eating? I think we could all say we do it. But next time, when your body talks, listen.

- Some get bored eating salad. I could (and do) eat the same thing every day. But for your anti-boring people, here’s 45 Salad Recipes

- So you’re injured. Do you need RICE or POLICE? Interesting new find!

- This Southwest Quinoa Salad looks delicious…and makes me excited for summer and lots of vegetables!

- Here is a new treadmill interval run to try…looks fun to me!

- These Flaxseed Muffins pack 6 grams of protein and some healthy fats!

- Yesterday was National Peanut Lovers Day. Did you know that over 15% of the healthy oils are lost in the process of roasting nuts? Raw people, eat ‘em raw!

- I told you what motivates me. So here is another keep on moving.

Talk to you Monday! I’ve got a yummy new recipe to share :)

Blueberry Muffins

No creative title today. Just good ol’ blueberry muffins. A healthier version of a yummy snack or treat! Enjoy!

Blueberry Muffins

1 1/2 c. wheat flour
1/2 c. white flour
1/2 t. salt
1 T. baking powder
1/4 c. + 1 T. sugar
1 c. milk
1 egg
1/4 c. honey
1/2 c. applesauce
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. blueberries

In one bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.

In another bowl mix the remaining ingredients: egg, milk, applesauce, vanilla, and honey.

Mix the wet and dry together until just mixed, then fold in blueberries. Pour into lined muffin tin and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

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Some reads you might be interested in:

Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Cauliflower

Everything You Want to Know About Spin Class

Top Mistakes Made on the Elliptical Machine

30 Sugar Substitutes

Grain Free Raspberry Coconut Muffins

~Happy Monday!

For Your Benefit

In the last few weeks I’ve come across two websites that I think are pretty awesome. So I thought I would share them with you!

First up: RECIpage

You know those days you get bored with what you have been making for the past month and decide things need to change? Or you get something from your local co-op and don’t really know what to do with it? Well, this page is for you. RECIpage is a collection of hundreds of blogger recipes. You can type in anything from a specific blogger, to an ingredient, a method of cooking or a course of food. It is pretty much fantastic – and your eyes will be opened to so many new recipes you won’t know what to do with yourself!

For example, I typed in “blueberry muffins” since we just got some fresh blueberries from our co-op. Then 21 recipes came up on a page and I can browse until I find one I like!

Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Or I just went more general with searching for “blueberries” and 225 recipes came up! A little overwhelming…but fun to look at.

Blueberry Poppy Seed Granola

Blueberry Pretzel Clusters

As you can see…I really like it.

Second up on the websites of note is Get Real 2012.

“This year-long series is for those who have had even the slightest desire to transition your family to whole foods. You may have started, you may have started and quit, you may be completely overwhelmed, not know where to start.”

There is a year long schedule of what to do each month to transition to eating a cleaner and preservative free. There are weekly posts on the months topics. January focuses on cleaning out the pantry and freezer and replacing the foods with better options.

I think this is an awesome idea – for everyone that wants to make small changes this year. You might choose to do it all or choose to do some of it, but it is worth looking in to. Because preservative free is the way to go! As much as you can, at least.

Hope you enjoy these websites as much as I do!

Hustle and Bustle of the Blog World

Here’s the recent hustle and bustle in the blog world…at least the stuff I thought you might like to feast your eyes on. Happy Monday!

I really want to be able to say I’ve made homemade blueberry bagels. Who doesn’t?

If that picture doesn’t make you want to eat them, then check out the benefits of blueberries. That’ll getcha!

Gift idea? Make a homemade snow globe! This reminds me of elementary school. Yet as a college girl, I still think it looks pretty dang fun.

Sick of the same old breakfast? Try a breakfast cookie! Yes, you read that correctly.

The word is out: the act of giving improves health. Oprah even said it. Who knew?! (I think we all did…but it is still a good reminder)

~What’s your latest and greatest find in the blog world?

Linked Up

My mom and I just got back from a quick trip to Las Vegas for some hiking, yoga, Cirque du Soleil and some very nice weather. With a pleasant stop at The Red Barn on the way home! While I gather pictures from that (the hikes were unreal) I will leave you with some fabulous links!

Pumpkin Seeds...3 WAYS! Goodness those all sound delicious. And make me want to carve a pumpkin just to get to the seeds.


Long Run Obstacles – Pretty sure we all have those days that we just don’t want to do our long run, or any type of exercise for that matter. Here are some ways to get past those exercising blues.

Apple Peanut Butter Cookie Bites – substitute in some almond butter and we are good to go! These look great!


White Chicken Chili – I’m not sure anything says fall like some good chili. This sure looks like some good chili.


Sweet Potato Muffins – Yum! With some pumpkin and banana variations, these muffins are delicious and good for you!

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Almonds - Almond and pumpkin...I'm in!

Happy Monday!

~Got a link to share? Go for it.

A Weight Loss Strategy

**Side note…all those sweet pictures from my Dirty Dash recap were my mom’s doing. She, my dad and brother all ran their hearts out to be at different obstacles to take pictures, film and cheer. Love them!

Often times when we think of weight loss strategies we think of working out and decreasing calorie. Both of those things make sense, but have you ever considered certain behavior modifications that can be a huge help in weight loss and weight management (which is usually much harder!)

Psychologists working with people trying to lose weight often address how to modify problem behaviors. Every person is different and needs to determine what their main problem behaviors are so they can address them. Here are some factors that help place the problem in perspective and organize the intervention strategy.

1. chain-breaking: This separates behaviors that tend to occur together – such as eating while watching TV or doing work, or doing homework while mindlessly snacking. Acknowledge these behaviors that occur together and try to break them apart. It could really make a difference!

source

2. stimulus control: This puts YOU in charge of temptations. Doing things like not buying foods that you shouldn’t be eating in the kitchen, making healthy snacks more available in the fridge and on the counter, or avoiding the vending machine by packing your own snack.

3. cognitive restructuring: I think this is a big one…it has to do with changing your frame of mind. When it has been a long day or you were just in a fight, instead of going to food, restructure your mind to instead try going on a walk, talking to someone, or practicing some yoga. Teach your body to want to do act in positive ways to negative situations.

 
4. contingency management: This has to do with preparing yourself for situations that may trigger overeating or hinder physical activity plans. When you know you have a busy week ahead of you, try to schedule in exercise a different times, even if it is just a walk around the neighborhood before bed. Also, if you know you’ll be heading to a party, use some party techniques!

5. self-monitoring: By using various ways to track and record your progress and goals, it helps you better determine what areas need work. When you are consistently monitoring yourself, weight loss can happen faster simply because you can change things around as needed.

~What are some of your weight loss/weight management strategies?

~Looking for something yummy to bake this weekend? Here are some good places to check out:
Toasted Coconut Muffin
Carrot Cake Cookie
Apple Pie French Toast Cake (got a birthday coming up?!)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake

Hope you have a great weekend!

Fun Fact Friday

This semester I am taking a nutrition class that I am SUPER excited about. I already love reading the material and learning new things. So I thought I’d share with you a little “Fun Fact Friday” from my latest reading!

I would guess that most of you are very aware of how a calorie is a measurement of energy. Foods have a certain number of calories based off their composition of nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids (fats), water, vitamins and minerals.
Taken a little further, every food has a measure of energy density. This is a comparison of the calorie content of a food with the weight of the food.
An energy dense food is high in calories but weights very little. Examples of these foods are nuts, cookies, fried foods, pretzels, etc.

A food low in energy density has few calories but weighs a lot. Examples are fruits, vegetables, oats, or any food that incorporates lots of water during cooking.

Obviously, eating low in energy density foods provide more nutrients for less calories. They also keep you full longer. That doesn’t mean you should completely avoid energy dense foods, but be more limiting in those foods.
So think about that next time you are considering your afternoon snack!
Here are some link worthy recipes from the week…there’s some energy dense and low energy density foods here!

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Sonoma Chicken Salad

Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Biscuits

Avocado Egg Salad

Cake On A Stick

Fresh Peach Muffins

Bakes Sweet Potato Chips

Have a great weekend!

Body Weight Workout

Don’t have a gym membership?

Don’t have time to leave the house for the gym or a run?

Don’t have weights or at home gym?

Have no fear. There are TONS of things you can do to get a good sweat going at your home, with just your body. You can mix and match any of the exercises, or increase or decrease amounts…but here is just an example:

• Warm-Up: 5 minutes of jump rope (with a jump rope, or imaginary!)

• Circuit 1: repeat 2x
• 20 body weight squats
• 30 mountain climbers
• 10 push ups
• 2 minutes of high knees, 2 minutes of butt-kickers

• Circuit 2: repeat 2x
• 10 walking lunges, each leg
• 20 plank jacks
• 20 chair dips
• 3 minutes of jumping jacks

• Circuit 3: repeat 2x
• 1 minute plank
• 20 sit ups
• 20 Russian Twists
• Stretch!

Let me know if you try it!

Also, the blog world is full of yummy recipes recently! So many to try. Check them out!

Peach and Chicken Salad

Tortilla Soup

Lasagna Cupcakes

Chicken Taco Salad

Steamed Salmon and Veggies

Avocado Corn Soup

Taco Muffins

Have a great weekend!