What's Cookin...by Chris T.

Here's another favorite recipe from one of my students, Chris T. She borrowed it from The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook which you can get at: http://www.wholelifenutrition.net/

It involves one of my favorite grains, quinoa (pronounced keen-wah). Quinoa is has a slightly nutty taste, is hearty and has a wonderful chewy-crunchy quality. I love it!

Quinoa Black Bean Salad

This dish is packed with protein, fiber and color. A feast for all the senses.
Serves 4 to 6 people

2 Cups quinoa
3.5 Cups water
Pinch sea salt

1 cup chopped cilantro
5 sliced green onions
1 small seeded jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 small red pepper, small dice
2 cups cooked black beans

Dressing:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1 ½ teaspoon sea salt

Rinse quinoa under warm running water in a fine mesh strainer. Place the rinsed quinoa with water and pinch of sea salt in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.
Remove cooked quinoa from pot, place in a large bowl, let cool.
Mix together “Dressing” ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk. Pour over quinoa and toss with a fork.
Add cilantro, green onions, jalapeno, red pepper and black beans and toss again. Enjoy! (note: I don’t like red pepper so I tried it with 1 can drained, rinsed corn).


This is another wonderful side dish for parties and potlucks. People will clamour for the recipe, and tips on how to spell, and pronounce quinoa. Happy Eating!

What's Cookin'....by Laurie C

My wonderful students have generously shared some of their favorite recipes. The first installment is:

Apple Jicama Cranberry Slaw
Serves 6, Weight Watchers=2 pts/serving

Dressing: (whisk together)
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. walnut oil
½ tsp salt


Salad: (put in a large bowl)
2 cups savoy or Napa cabbage, finely chopped
2 cups apples, cored and coarsely grated (leave skin on)
2 cups jicama, peeled and coarsely grated
2 medium green onions, minced or finely grated
½ cup dried cranberries
1/8 tsp. black pepper (optional)

Toss dressing with salad and refrigerate until ready to serve.


This is a delightfully crisp and refreshing salad. Perfect for your next potluck, dinner party or side dish for the family.

BTW....check out this link for jicama (hi-ca-ma) fun facts!
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/equivalents_substitutions.asp?index=J&tid=752

Don't tempt me, Frodo

Every get late night food cravings? Last night I worked out late, came home and ate the delicious moo shoo pork and veggies that my husband made, and was still hungry.

I searched the cupboard and found raw walnuts and almonds, roasted pumpkin seeds and a zone bar. I searched the freezer and found frozen chicken soup. I searched the refrigerator and found veggies, condiments, eggs.... Where were the cookies, chocolate, ice cream and candies? Oh yeah, still at the grocery store. If I wanted something naughty I was going to have to make it from scratch at 9:30PM.

Ultimately I settled on a corn tortilla with a dab fig paste, about 50 calories. Just a morsel with a hint of sweetness, kinda like a fig newton, right? ("That's a stretch!" one of my students told me this morning.) This will not be appearing as "recipe of the week" anytime soon.

Moral of the story: If you don't let yourself be tempted at the grocery store, you won't be tempted at home. If you don't buy the junk food you can't eat it.

When we do our shopping for the week I don't pick up cheat foods to have around the house whenever I feel like it. This helps me stick with my plan of having a special sweet treat day ONCE a week, not every night. It also keeps me from absentmindedly noshing on chips etc. when I get home from work. Keep this in mind next time you go shopping.

BBQ tips from the ma'am

Do you ever go to a BBQ and eat so much you feel like someone has to cart you home in a wheel barrow? Like you blew all the progress you made at the gym this week in two short hours?

Well here are some tips to help you enjoy yourself at upcoming summer BBQs without blowing your entire meal plan.

1. give yourself a maximum # of alcoholic or sugary beverages per party or per hour. Or alternate each caloric bev with a glass of water.
2. Be good with your eating a couple of days before if when you know you're going to a party this weekend. That way you can use the BBQ or party as you cheat meal and relax.
3. Try not to go to a BBQ FAMISHED. At the least, eat a small snack an hour or two before you leave so you don't grossly overeat when you get there.
4. If you are bringing a dish to the party, try to bring some kind of healthier option, e.g: something with some vegetables, hummus, a quinoa salad, or fruit tray.
5. Load some veg on your plate as well as potato salad and chicken legs.
6. Control your portion size. Try not to mound the food on your plate-just go back for seconds in a couple of hours.
7. Eat dessert first. Well, maybe after your vegetables. So you still have room.
8. Lastly, relax, enjoy and get back on track with your food and workouts tomorrow!

Happy Independence Day!

Can you smell what the ma'am is cooking? Hummus!

Hi Squirrel Jam fans. Summer's here and the time is right for dancing in the streets...and eating more fresh vegetables! Try checking out your local farmers' market for fresh, fabulous produce that barely needs any treatment to taste delicious. Many thanks to my student Scotti for the recipe of marinated grilled veggies.

My own recipe stems from my attempt to eat more beans and less processed or prepared food. Why pay $3 for a little tub of hummus that has more preservatives and salt than you want or need when you can make your own . In less than 5 minutes and for less than $3 you can make your own simple, fabulous hummus at home. (Ok...a full jar of tahini is more than $3, but it will last you a long time or you can get just enough in bulk if you want to.)

Bon appetit!

KRU KATHY’S WHITE BEAN HUMMUS
1-3 cloves chopped garlic (Or you could use roasted garlic...yum!!)
1 (15 ounce) can white beans/great northern beans; rinsed and reserve 1/4 cup bean broth
2-4 tablespoons lemon juice (I like it tangier so I use 4T)
¼ cup tahini aka ground sesame seed butter (I use roasted tahini. You can purchase small amounts in bulk @ our co-op)
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Dash of salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1Tablespoon olive oil

Combine all ingredients (except for reserved bean broth) in a food processor and pulse until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. If you prefer a smoother texture or it seems to need some liquid, add 1T bean broth at a time until you reach desired consistency.
Serve with carrot sticks, celery, pita, crackers or … happy snacking!

This is my riff on a recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com/ my recipe website of choice

BONUS RECIPE COURTESY OF MY STUDENT, SCOTTI

SCOTTI’S ASIAN GRILLED VEGGIES

sliced zucchini, sliced yellow squash, quartered sweet onions, sliced red, yellow and/or green peppers, asparagus, broccoli, eggplant, etc.... Marinate for a minimum of 1 hour in:

Marinade:

1 cup soy sauce (low sodium)

1/2 cup Mirin (sweet Japanese cooking wine)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup rice vinegar

chopped/minced garlic

lots of chopped ginger

If you are going a lot of vegetables you may need to double the recipe! While the veggies are marinating soak one or two cedar planks (Fred Meyer has them) in water for a minimum of an hour.

Throw planks on medium high grill, top with the veggies and grill for about 8 to 15 minutes depending on your desired amount of "done-ness". If you don't have a grill or the planks you can do this as a stir fry a well. I love to enjoy these will grilled chicken or grilled salmon and they make a great appetizer.

My kids wouldn't touch asparagus and zucchini before this recipe but now they eat it all the time!

Pick yourself up, dust yoursef off....

Time to get back on track.

Thanks for your patience Squirrel Jam fans. April was a difficult month for me and my family. My husband was hospitalized for 6 days and my father passed away, among other challenges. I was in survival mode for awhile, just trying to meet my most basic obligations and stay sane.

Under these circumstances I was forced to prioritize my time differently. Taking care of family, work and our business were tops, and things like working out and cooking at home took a back seat. I found that while I was stressed and strapped for time it helped to have a few ground rules in order to stay healthy myself--I didn't have time to get sick!

My ground rules included:

1) Make the healthiest food choices I could, even though I would be eating more prepared foods than usual. I opted for ready-to-steam bags of veggies, bags of salad mix, cottage cheese, protein shakes, and other quick, relatively healthy foods.

2) I stuck with my 1 sweet treat per week rule. Just because I was sad didn't mean I could get treats every day!

3) It was okay if I missed a workout when I needed sleep or was spending time in the hospital. I was not allowed to beat myself up when I couldn't workout, either. However, if I had a relatively open day exercise proved to be a great stress relief!

4) I took extra vitamins (C, D, zinc), napped when I could (even at the hospital), and tried to stay hydrated.

5) I swallowed my pride and asked for help from my fabulous family and friends when I needed it (thanks gang!)

Now that April has passed and my stress is ebbing I have made a new rule for myself: GET BACK ON TRACK...ASAP! Start working out consistently, resume meal planning and cooking at home, and start posting on my blog again!

The best way I know to honor the memory of my father is to pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again.

Here's to a new day...

H2O, Water water water!

Start your day the ma'am way-drinking water! I wake up at 4:40AM, roll out of bed into my clothes, stagger into the kitchen, flip the switch on the coffee pot then pour myself a nice big glass of water with a splash of lemon juice. Ahh....It's refreshing, hydrating, and acts as a simple cleanse at the start of my day.

Proper hydration is crucial to a healthy body, especially if you are exercising regularly. Some symptoms of dehydration include:

• muscle cramping



• headaches



• dry mouth and thirst



• dizziness or light headedness



• over time dehydration can lead to injuries or illness

(see http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dehydration/DS00561/DSECTION=symptoms)

Proper hydration helps flush toxins from your system and will improve your performance during your workout, even during your work day!

My tips for increasing your water consumption:

• start your day with a glass of water



• sip water throughout the day, try using a cup with a straw or carry a sport cap water bottle



• drink extra water right after your workout when your body is ready to absorb it



• don't try to cram drinking water by chugging a gallon in one sitting



• alternate water and your other beverages (e.g. coffee, tea, juice)



• keep track of the number of glasses of H2O you've had throughout the day until you get in the habit of drinking water.

I vaguely remember a cartoon/commercial from my youth that used to sing: "Water, it's the best no calorie drink in all the world!" They were right! Happy sipping.

Can you smell what the ma'am is cooking? Spinach!

A-gah gah gah!
Welcome to "Can you Smell what the Ma'am is Cooking?" i.e. Recipe of the Week

So I was out of veg at home and was cruising the Produce section for something quick and easy. The BIG bags of cleaned spinach were on sale and I was inspired. The resulting recipe is a quick, slightly crunchy spinach side dish.

Almond and Olive Oyl Spinach

1 big bag of cleaned spinach (no need to splurge on the baby stuff)

1/4 cup of raw slivered almonds

1 Tablespoon Olive Oyl

1 shallot or half a red onion

garlic or garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste


Toast almond slivers in a large skillet over medium heat. This won't take long so don't leave! You just want them slightly tanned. mmmm.... Remove from skillet.

Heat 1 T olive oil and begin to brown shallot or onion until just soft. For a little crunch remove from skillet at this point. If you're lazy like me, leave them in there.

Add as much of the bag of spinach as the pan will handle, wilt and mix with onions. Continue to add the remaining spinach until you have the entire contents cooking in the skillet. Once the spinach is mostly wilted, add the garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Ma'am likes lot of garlic.

Toss in the almonds and shallot/onion (if necessary). Remove from pan, trying to leave residual liquid in the pan. Enjoy!

Popeye says, "If you eat ma'am's spinach, your forearms can grow as big as mine! A-gah gah gah!"

Sweet Treat Day

How big was that croissant?

Some days the foodie wins out over the fitness nut. Sweet Treat Day is one of those days. It's

my weekly holiday-once a week I get a special sweet treat, 100% guilt free. I have a special lust for pastries and baked goods, such that if I ate all that I wanted I would weigh about 200 lbs. So the compromise I have forged between head, heart and stomach is the weekly Sweet Treat Day. I hold back on the indulgent sweets all week long until my special day.

Some days it's high brow, some days it low brow, but it's always a delight. The hard part is choosing from week to week how I want to indulge. This week it was a HUGE almond croissant from Avenue Bread. Hand made with love, flaky, buttery, filled with marzipan...so delightful.... It was about the size of my head (see illustration). It was worth waiting for.

Have you a similar lust or weakness with a fabulous, yet indulgent food? Try my tip for enjoying your fave cheat without the excessive weight gain: Pick a frequency (not daily) for your fave food and "save up" for that special indulgent day. For example, I love pizza, but only have it once a month. This means that when I do indulge, I am not going to settle for Domino's, I will be holding out for the really good stuff, i.e. quality not frequency.

Happy indulging!

Fat Pants

You know you have them-the Fat Pants.

Fat Pants fall into one of two categories:

1. The pants that let you know that you're getting fat because your waist/butt/thighs/all of it! won't fit in them anymore or



2. The new, larger pants you buy because you can't fit into your old favorite pair anymore. Type 2 Fat Pants =>

I think it's a good idea to have the Type 1 Fat Pants. Meaning some concrete sign that it's time for you to get serious about your health again. Once your Type 1 Fat Pants start to get tight, I encourage you to take that as a challenge! Not a challenge to go shopping for Type 2 Fat Pants , but a ch allege to get your body moving again. A challenge to honestly evaluate your overall nutrition and eating habits. A challenge to find friends or family that can help you make some healthy shifts in your life.

Due to the ebb and flow of our hectic schedules it's difficult for most folks to maintain one specific scale weight. However, it is a good idea to put some upper and lower parameters on what we consider is healthy. I recommend a 5 pound bracket of scale weight that you try to remain within from week to week. Alternatively you can have your Type 1 Fat Pants and your Skinny Pants. When the Skinny Pants fit, or you're at the lower end of your scale weight bracket, you know your doing pretty well with your body mass. When the Type 1 Fat Pants start to constrict your breathing or the scale creeps over that upper bracket, that's a signal to reevaluate your habits.

Having these concrete measurements helps me remember what my personal boundaries are. My Type 1 Fat Pants help keep me honest. They let me know when I need to be more consistent with my workouts or less consistent with the dark chocolate. They also save me from spending time and money at the mall on Type 2 Fat Pants .

If you're not sure what your body mass boundaries are, I challenge you to go to your closet today and find your Type 1 fat pants. You may be surprised what you find.

WWKE: What Would Kathy Eat?

It's late. I just finished cardio at the gym and it's 10 PM. I need one more meal today and I am HUNGRY. What sounds good? Lots of things: chicken strips, tortilla chips, croutons, chocolate.

But I remember that I am trying to lose 2 pounds scale weight in 2 weeks and the meal plan I made out for the day calls for a protein shake and 10 almonds as my final meal. My class will never know if I eat half a bag of tortilla chips for dinner, but I will know and the SCALE WILL KNOW.

So...What Would Kathy Eat? I followed through on my meal plan and enjoyed a protein shake and almonds. If I still want a flavor blasted treat I can have some herbal tea before bed.

The moral of this story: Remember the 7 P-s.

Proper Prior Planning Promotes Peak Performance

I planned my meals in the morning to set myself up for success throughout the day. I was also mindful of my goals, which made following through on my plan that much easier.

Lose 3 pounds in 3 weeks

Want to lose 3 lbs in 3 weeks? Try these 3 tips consistently for 3 weeks

1. Calorie deficit...You need to burn 500 more calories a day than you are consuming to lose 1 pound a week. What equals 500 calories? One candy bar, 1 medium french fries, 2 cocktails, 3 beers, or 4 glasses of wine. Try cutting out 100 calories five times a day. Measure out your peanut butter (2 tablespoons max), try your mocha with nonfat milk and no whip, take 1/2 cup of rice rather than 1 cup. Or switch some of your higher calorie foods for my favorite filler: broccoli ;)



2. Calorie burn... Try burning an extra 100 calories a day in addition to your usual work out. What burns 100 calories? 20 minutes of walking, 25 minutes of gentle yoga, or 30 minutes of housework like vaccuuming. Or add an extra 10 minutes of push ups, sit ups, squats or other strength training after your cardio work out.



3. Cut back on foods which cause water retention or can lead to inflammation due to food allergies. Cut back on your sodium by watching prepared foods like: any microwave dinner or canned soup, the salty-crunchy food group (you know what I'm talking about!), restaurant take out. Foods which can commonly cause inflammation are sugar, flour/gluten, soy and dairy. (Check with a doctor/naturopath if you are concerned about food allergies.)

Remember...consistent, persistent focus is key! Don't start Monday and quit Wednesday because the scale hasn't changed! Follow through for 3 weeks and you will be amazed by your progress.

If all 3 changes at once seems like too much to tackle, start with shift one for Week 1. Cut back 500 calories you eat each day for one week. For week 2: Keep up your week 1 change and start burning an extra 100 calories a day. For Week 3: Keep up your changes from Week 2 & 3 and start cutting back on sugar and other potential inflammatory foods.

Ask reliable friends and family to help you stay consistent or to join you in your health and fitness challenge. You can do it...Just do it.