LOL'ing!

Last night while browsing through my social networks, I found some seriously funny photos that made me LOL!  If you don't at least smile at some of these, I think it's time for you to talk to a doctor about your depression... or you are WAY more mature than I am!

This is seriously my sister's cat, Chester.  Chester will meow until you get up and feed him.  Chester used to be morbidly obese, and my sister finally put him on a diet.  Now, he constantly feels like he is being starved.  

 

If I could get my bulldog into a swing, I totally would.  

HAHA!  This says it all!

Jade teases my Bella all the time doing this.  She's so fast and so anxious to get the ball, you know she wants to kill you when she realizes you haven't thrown it!

7 Highly Healthy Habits!

I grew up in small, farming community in Kansas.  My family owns a farm, and we raise corn, wheat, soybeans, milo, and cattle.  Growing up, like most kids, I ate easy-to-prepare, prepackage foods, like Hamburger Helper, frozen pizzas, and macaroni and cheese.  The meals that were prepared for me, such as fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and white gravy, were high in saturated fat and cholesterol.  I exercised all through high school, so I maintained a normal weight, and convinced myself this type of eating was healthy.

It wasn't until my senior year of high school I decided I wanted to study nutrition and dietetics.  I went to college and quickly learned how discouraging the nutrition field can be.  The work I did wasn't helping the patients live longer, healthier lives, it was about maximizing profits for the large hospitals and nursing homes, feeding patients the cheapest way possible, and contributing to the "research" for some of the most profitable (food) businesses in the US. The "research" was aggravating and confusing.  Don't eat eggs.  Eat eggs.  Red meat is good for you.  Red meat is bad for you.  Soy is an excellent protein source.  Soy causes cancer.

I have learned to do my own research and listen to my body.  I still have cheat days, but these are some of my healthy habits.  Some, are even passed on from my grandma.

1. Eat less meat

Coming from a farming and cattle raisin' family, this is a touchy subject with my Dad.  My Dad is one of the few farmers who raises all of his cattle antibiotic and hormone free.  He rotates his cattle on grass pastures, and does all he can to provide healthy beef and happy cows.  I love going home and seeing the calves following their mamas on the pastures.  I bounce between being a vegetarian and eating meat once or twice a week.  I truly believe the amount of meat consumed directly affects global warming and our growing obesity epidemic.

A new born calf on the pasture

2.  Eat breakfast

I struggle with not wanting to eat breakfast, but as your grandma (mine did) told you, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  Your body has been fasting for 8 hours while you were sleeping.  Eating breakfast breaks the fast, and allows your body to begin to use those calories you just consumed.  This gives you energy to make it through the day and prevents you from the 10 am vending machine runs.  When choosing a breakfast, aim for fresh fruits, whole grains, and some protein.  Avoid the Veinte Latte from Starbucks and choose instead, to make your own version of a Frappe.

Banana Chocolate Frappe

    1 frozen banana
    1 scoop chocolate protein powder
    1.5 Nescafe instant coffee packets
    5 ice cubes
    Cold water
    Approximately 2 tsp. xanthan gum

Blend well and enjoy!

3.  Exercise daily

 I am not telling you to go out and run a 10k tomorrow, but getting 30 minutes of physical activity every day can help you control your weight, reduce your risk for heart disease and lower your cholesterol, and improve your mood.  When I was younger, my grandma would get up every morning and ride her stationary bike or walk the country roads to check on the cattle.  Our stationary lifestyles are another HUGE cause of the heart disease and obesity epidemics.

 

4.  Start a garden

Something as simple as growing herbs in a window box can give your foods flavor, without adding oils, salts, or sauces.  Jade and I grew our first garden last year, and it is one of the things I miss the most about life in Kansas.  Working in the garden gave us a purpose, made us appreciate where our food comes from and what it takes to grow it, and provided Jade and me the opportunity to work together as a team.

5.  Eat whole foods

Starting a garden is an excellent way to ensure you eat fresh, whole foods.  Raw fruits, vegetables, and herbs, in a variety of colors, can provide you with essential vitamins and minerals, antioxidant properties, and open your eyes (and mouth) to new flavor and food combinations.

6.  Learn to cook

My Dad always told me, "If you can read, you can cook."  If you are reading this, you really have no excuse as to why you aren't in the kitchen.  Cooking allows you to control what goes into your foods.  The tasty cheese raviolis at the neighborhood restaurant are probably delicious, but do you know how much oil or salt the chef used when preparing them?

Cooking can bring your family together in new ways.  Jade has surprised me on many occasions by preparing his specialties.  It is a great way to share the household duties and spoil your partner.  If you have kids, it's never too young to get them in the kitchen.  You can even buy a little helper cooking set, such as this one for your little one.

7.  Take small steps to big rewards

Drastically altering your eating and exercise habits overnight can send your body into shock, and you could lose weight, but most often than not, drastic changes can lead to feelings of deprivation and bingeing.  Try making small changes each day towards a complete lifestyle change.

Share these healthy habits with friends and family and send me a message on how you have made the changes towards a better life.

ML  

Cinco de Mayo Recipes

...And a little history.

I never understood why the US celebrated Cinco de Mayo, and Mexico didn't.  I did a little research, and found that after the city of Puebla defeated the French army on 5 de Mayo, 1862 it had a large impact the US Civil War.  It may also be credited as one of the ways the Union defeated the Confederate army.

The French was a large supplier of weapons, food, and clothing for the Confederate army.  When the French military, with Napolean III as commander, invaded Mexico, they were unable to keep up with their commitments to the US.

This is not Mexico's Independence Day as some people believe.  That day is the most important holiday in Mexico and celebrated on September 16.

Now, on to some of my favorite Mexican recipes!!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• Vegetable or corn oil, for drizzling, plus 2 tablespoons -- 2 turns of the pot in a slow stream
• 3 ears corn on the cob or 2 ears fresh-frozen cobs, defrosted
• 1 red bell pepper, split and seeded
• 1 pound chicken breast tenders
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1/3 palm full
• 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/3 palm full
• Salt and pepper
• 1 small to medium zucchini, small dice
• 1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 to 2 chipotle in adobo peppers (medium to hot heat level), chopped -- available in small cans in Mexican and Spanish food section of market
• 1 can stewed tomatoes, 28 ounces
• 1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounces
• 3 cups chicken stock, available in re-sealable paper containers on soup aisle
• 4 cups blue corn tortilla chips, broken up into large pieces
• 1 cup shredded cheddar or pepper Jack cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Optional garnishes:

• 1/4 red raw onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley leaves
• 1 ripe avocado, diced and dressed with the juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

Heat a grill pan to high and a soup pot to medium high. Drizzle oil on corn and place on grill. Add red pepper to grill with corn. Char vegetables 10 minutes, total, turning occasionally. Remove to cool, 5 minutes. Remove charred skin from the pepper.

While vegetables cook, dice chicken. Add 2 tablespoons oil to hot soup pot. Add chicken to pot. Season with poultry seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Lightly brown chicken on each side. Add zucchini, onions and garlic and chipotle peppers. Cook vegetables with chicken 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and stock. Bring soup to a bubble, reduce heat to medium low.
Scrape corn off cob and add to soup. Chop grilled red pepper and stir into soup. Add chips to soup in handfuls and fold in. Serve soup immediately with scatter of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Top with any or all of the suggested garnishes.


Makes a HUGE pot.  

Skinny Margaritas

 

2 ounces clear tequila

splash fresh lime juice

splash Cointreau liqueur or Grand Marnier or triple sec

ice

salt (optional)

lime wedge 

Rub lime wedge around the edge of the glass and dip in salt if preferred.  Place desired amount of ice in a glass and pour all ingredients over ice.  Garnish with a lime.

Makes one margarita

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/skinny-margarita-358803#ixzz1u6SY9BDy

 

Juicing, a skeptic's guide

When I started this blog, I wanted to write about my life, with an emphasis on exercise, eating well, and healthy lifestyles.  Those three things are a HUGE part of who I am.  I have basically dedicated over 10 years, my entire life, to learning and experiencing new ways (and old ways) to be healthier, more active, and to live a fuller life.

My first home floor cooked meal

Learning at an early age that exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle

As a grown up, I love to cook

I also try to get exercise every day.

Lately, my blog has turned into a travel guide, a fun-filled adventure, which is also a part of my life.  I love the new places, things, and activities my husband and I get to experience together, but I also want to get back to my real passion- with a few travels mixed in.

Enjoy!

 ML

A year or so ago, I tried to the Master Cleanse.  For those of you who don't know what this involves, follow this link or go to themastercleanse.org

This cleanse involves drinking a freshly squeezed lemon, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup.  Sounds delicious right?  Well, if that wasn't tasty enough for you, every morning you also begin with a salt water flush.  Ever read the book, Marley and Me?  Remember when Marley goes to the beach and drinks a bunch of salt water.  Recall what happens next?  Yes, it's like that when you drink a liter of salt water as well!  I guess what I'm hinting at is, don't try this right before you begin you hour long commute to work.  You will be taking a personal day...

I lasted about 5 days on this cleanse.  It wasn't that I was too hungry because I wasn't.  I just felt like I wasn't eating, and I could do that without drinking a disgusting tasting concoction.  I didn't weigh myself before or after the cleanse because I didn't want it to be about that.  I tried to make this cleanse a challenge to myself to be healthier and to think about food differently.  What I realized is that I do eat healthy, with a few cheat days mixed in.  My kidneys and my liver do a great job of processing the food that I put into it.  The junk food, the soda, the processed flour, the processed corn, the hydrogenated fats that I eat are minimal.  I studied enough anatomy and physiology, nutrient metabolism, and human biology to understand when our kidneys and liver are functioning well, our body naturally metabolizes food and cleanses our bodies.

With that said, I do believe juice diets, fasts, and cleanses have a place in some diets.  People who eat so much processed non-foods may need a jump-start to assist their bodies.  Some juice diets could help digest the processed food products faster and allow your body and your mind to begin a healthy lifestyle.  The main thing I learned for the Master Cleanse is that it provided me with the time to think about food in a different way, a healthier way.  Instead of craving a Krispy Kreme donut for a snack, maybe you will begin to crave a ripe, red apple with creamy Greek yogurt.

Juice diets, fasts, and cleanses have NO MEDICAL EVIDENCE they are any better at detoxifying your body than your kidneys and liver when they are functioning properly.  Also, any weight that is lost, is usually water weight and is gained right back after your first cheeseburger.  If you goal is to lose weight, a juice diet is not the ideal way to meet your goals.  When you severely cut calories, as when you begin a juice fast, your body burns glycogen.  Both water and glycogen are quickly replenished as soon as you start eating again.

Here is what the doctors say,

"There have been no clinical studies that validate their cleansing properties," Dr. Leonard Bielory, an allergy specialist at Rutgers University, told me. "Drinking only juice for three days or more doesn't do much but put the individual in an uncomfortable position." Uncomfortable tends to mean irritability, headaches and frequent trips to the bathroom. Dr. Bennett Roth, chief of gastroenterology at UCLA Medical Center, is crystal clear on one thing about juice cleansing: "The concept has no basis in scientific support."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2108016,00.html#ixzz1u27JuEkT

Do your research and remember, it's just juice!

Whoa, typos!

After reading over some of my recently published posts, I realized how many typos and poor language choices I've made.  I know the only way to improve my writing skills is to continue writing, even with typos, and read other writers works and approaches to writing.

Thanks for your patience as I get back into my writing groove, and I apologize as you sift through the typos, poor word usage, and just boring writing.

I'm off for 2 more incredible dives today.  Updates to follow!