I Did It!

Today, I completed the 60-day Ultimate Warrior training schedule for Les Mills Combat! I am proud of this accomplishment because when I first started this series, I had serious doubts about my physical ability to perform the moves and withstand the rigor that these workouts required.

It was grueling.  I wanted to box it up and send it back...and spend that money on ice cream and pizza.  But, I didn't.  I made myself get up everyday...boy, did I dread it...pushed play, and then gave it everything.  At the end of each hour, I was shaking like Jell-O and dripping with sweat.  I even cried a few times.

Today's final workout was just as hard.  It never got easier, but I could finally do all the moves and make it to the end without stopping!  I know that I am stronger today than I was 60 days ago.  I'm glad I didn't give up.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who wants to improve their fitness.  It was challenging, but low-impact.  It was fun and inspiring.  I enjoyed every workout and never regretted the pain and fatigue that followed.  You can order your copy from Beachbody.com.

Yummy New Combo :)

Okay, I invented something yummy out of boredom and curiosity...and because two of my favorite items just happened to be on my desk at the same time.

Kroger brand Vitamin Berry Pomegranate and Kroger brand Greek Yogurt

I was eating Greek yogurt (from Kroger, vanilla flavored) and noticed that my water enhancer (also from Kroger) was sitting on my desk.  I wondered what it would taste like to add a little squirt.  It was DELICIOUS!  I love water enhancers but never considered that they might be used in something other than water.  I always bring vanilla flavored Greek yogurt to work because I usually don't have time to add other stuff, but I prefer to eat it plain.  This was a zero calorie solution to adding flavor to plain yogurt and I get to add some more vitamins to the mix. 

Happy Seis de Mayo! Celebrate Tonight with Tacos Carne Asada

Carne Asada Tacos

 

At the present, carne asada tacos are at the top of my list when it comes to Mexican food. I crave these all the time and they are prepared very well at two of our local restaurants: Trejos and Mi Pueblito. 

I celebrated Cinco de Mayo on Saturday night - a day early - and indulged in my favorite dish.  They were divine, but not very healthy because they were a little greasy and encased in a homemade corn tortilla.  However, I've made them in the past and there is no reason why they can't be healthy.  Here's my recipe:

Carne Asada Tacos

 

• Prep the meat: Spray both sides of a flat iron or flank steak (or cut of your choice) with olive or canola spray.  Sprinkle with sea salt and coarsely ground pepper.  Rub into the meat.  Place in a zipper bag and cover with 3-4 T of liquid from a jar of pickled jalapeno peppers.  Refrigerate for 2 or more hours.
• Grill the meat: I prefer to grill over charcoal, but you can grill your steak over gas and it will taste fine.  When it is raining, I use the cast iron grill on my stone, but it makes for a messy clean-up.  Grill the meat until you are happy with it (I like my meat medium rare - so about 4-5 minutes per side over medium heat).  Remove the meat and cover it with foil.  Leave it alone for 10 minutes and then slice it thin.  Traditionally, the steak is cut into smaller pieces, but I am too lazy for that.
• Prepare the condiments: Dice an onion (I use Vidalia onions because they are sweet) and chop up a big bunch of fresh cilantro.  Dried doesn't work in this dish.  Slice a fresh lime or two.  Open a jar of green salsa (sometimes these tacos are served with mojo sauce but the base is olive oil, so I don't use it). You can make your own green salsa but it takes a little time, and there are plenty of jarred sauces available that are as good as any homemade sauce.  Try this one: Mrs. Renfro's Green Salsa (all of their products are great!).  I also like to include pinto beans (from a can, rinsed well, if home-cooked aren't available).
• I use Mission Carb Balance tortillas in all of my Mexican dishes.  Warm them up on the grill.  Fill them with the meat, beans, chopped raw onion, fresh cilantro, and some green salsa.  Squeeze a lime wedge across each one.  I sometimes add a few slices of avocado, as well.  Enjoy!

We love these at my house. I know they sound simple - and they are - but they are delicious and pretty healthy.  We grilled steaks last night so I know what we will be eating for dinner tonight - carne asada tacos made from leftovers!

 

 

 

 

 



Mexican Food CAN Be Healthy!

I was craving Mexican food sooo bad this weekend, but I knew better than to go out to have some.  They always serve the all-you-can-eat chips and salsa while you wait and by the time you get your food, you've consumed 1000 plus calories...and that's not counting the beer and margaritas!  So you are MUCH better off making your own Mexican food at home.

I had an 8 pound Boston butt (shoulder roast) in the freezer taking up space so I decided to try my hand at carnitas (pulled, seasoned pork).  I've made tamales (damn good ones), in the past, so I knew this would be easy.  I searched the Web and found several versions that I liked and then tossed them all out and made up my own recipe using what I had on hand.  It goes like this:

Pork Carnitas

1. Preheat your over to 400 degrees.  Spray a large Dutch oven with nonstick spray.  Peel and quarter two (2) medium onions and place in bottom of pot.  Wash and quarter two medium oranges and throw them in the bottom too.
2. Wash your butt and pat it dry (you guys have dirty minds :)...your pork shoulder, that is.  Rub down with Kosher salt and black pepper.  Place in the dutch oven, fat side up, on top of the onions and oranges.
3. Add one bottle of beer of your choice.  I used a Sam Adams porter left over from the Christmas variety case.  Add the following seasonings to the liquid around the butt:
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 T garlic powder
• 2 T lime juice
• 2 T cumin
• 2 T coriander
• 2 T dried oregano
• 2 T dried cilantro
• 1 t cinnamon (trust me, it works in this recipe)
4. Put the cover on the Dutch oven and set the timer for one hour.  After an hour, reduce the over temperature to 200 degrees.  Cook the butt for approximately 2 hours per pound OR until a meat thermometer indicates an internal temp of 205 degrees OR until the meat breaks apart when you poke it with a fork.
5. When you are certain the butt is done, remove it from the Dutch oven with a slotted spoon or tongs (it should be falling apart) and place the meat in a large baking or Pirex dish.  Shred the meat with a fork.    Discard the excess fat (scrape that s**t off!), orange peel, bay leaves, and excess liquid. Turn off the oven, but returned the shredded meat to the "off" oven to allow it to dry out a bit before serving.
6. Serve with Mission Carb Balance tortillas (only 3 net carbs & 3 grams of protein).  I have found that the best way to heat them is to throw them directly on a gas burner (turned to the lowest setting) and flip them with a fork after a few seconds. 

Healthy Sides

My side items for this meal included:

• Homemade quacamole (three mashed avacados, 1/2 chopped red onion, 4 small diced tomatoes, lime juice, garlic sauce, black pepper, and dried cilantro).

• Cilantro slaw (2 bags of pre-shredded coleslaw, 1/2 diced green pepper, 2 T Hellman's Canola Mayo, 3 T of Fage Greek Yogurt, 1/2 cup Splenda, salt, black pepper, ceyenne pepper, and dried cilantro to taste.

• Black beans and fiesta corn (all from cans, that I seasoned to taste).

This meal was far better than anything that I could have ordered at one of our local Mexican restaurants.  The best thing about this meal is that I controlled the fat and carbs during the cooking and eating phases and I wasn't tempted to order or eat anything that I would regret later.  Wait, the best thing is that I have a ton of leftovers waiting for me when I get home today :)

 

Do you have any good Mexican recipes you'd like to share?  Maybe I can help you make a skinny version!  Post below.

Protein Product Recommendations Needed!

I am so worried.  For many years, I have been eating Premier Protein bars and drinking their shakes and I absolutely love them.  They have 30 grams of protein and are low sugar, low in calories, and low in carbs.  Even more importantly, they are yummy!  Well, in Arkansas, you can only buy them in one place, Sam's Club.  This is fine because I am usually in Sam's at least once a week.  However, during the past few months, I have not always been able to find them because they've been out-of-stock.  There can only be two reasons for this: (1) they are popular, or (2) Sam's is not keeping enough of them in stock or re-ordering on a regular schedule.

They do fly off the shelves - I've watched it happen...but I think that the department manager is just not re-ordering.  I had a little talk with him two weeks ago after making three trips to Sam's and finding an empty spot where my bars should have been.  He assured me that they had been ordered.  I finally found them back in stock last week, but he had only ordered two cases (10 boxes each).  I bought two of them (they are around $16 for 14 bars).  Maddie said, "Mommy, why don't you just buy them all?"  Well, I thought about it, but I didn't want to be stingy. 

If they continue to be so scarce, I am going to have to find a replacement or order them online.  The latter is not really an option because shipping is too expensive.  Does anyone have a suggestion for a high protein shake and/or bar?  This is important.  We're talking about the basic components of my breakfasts and lunches here! 

My Love/Hate Relationship with Dr. Dukan

I have been in a love/hate relationship with Dr. Dukan for almost two years.  We all heard about this miracle diet during the Royal Wedding because this diet was popular among the crowned heads of Europe and everyone in attendance at this much-publicized event seemed to attribute their slim physiques to Dr. Dukan's diet.

I decided to try it.  I had a few pounds that I wanted to shred and I was having a hard time getting it off.  A friend and I purchased the book (seen above) and the companion cookbook, spent a couple of days reading the first few chapters, and then got started.  The diet is not new.  It has been around for decades and was designed for morbidly obese people.  It is the most popular diet among the French - and we know they love to eat and drink!

Let me say that during the course of my life, I have tried a lot of different diets.  Mostly, I try to stick to just healthy eating, but sometimes, I need a jump-start diet to get me going.  The Adkins Diet did nothing for me.  I didn't cheat for an entire 30 days of induction and only lost 2 pounds.  The Dukan Diet is different.  You WILL lose weight on this diet.  You will not be hungry, but you will hate life...for a while...and then life will get better because you will realize that you have lost the weight...plus some.

The diet works like this.  First, you go to the American Dukan Website, create an account, and then enter your "dimensions."  The Website will provide you with a basic course of action that includes the exact date when you can expect to achieve your "real weight."  You can also subscribe to coaching services and purchase food, if desired (not necessary unless you think you need that level of support).

The diet is comprised of four stages.  During the first two stages, your diet is made up mostly of lean proteins, fat free dairy, and non-starchy veggies.  The book provides a detailed list of foods that you can and can't have.  Each day, you drink a ton of water and eat 1-2 tablespoons of oat bran (which is a miracle food for stopping hunger pangs and for keeping one regular).  You don't have to exercise, but walking is highly encouraged.

During Stage 1, you can eat only lean proteins.  This stage only lasts for a few days for most of us.  Usually, just two days for women who want to shred 10-15 pounds.  You can expect to lose five or more pounds during the first week :)
During Stage 2, you alternate days of lean proteins with days of lean proteins and vegetables.  You continue doing this until you reach your "real weight."  Weight loss is rapid if you don't cheat.

In Stage 3, you gradually add back in other foods that were forbidden during the first two stages.  This is the slowest phase and you really have to be careful about introducing the foods.  You also maintain a "lean protein only" day once per week during this phase.

Stage 4 continues for the rest of your life.  You continue to adhere to the "lean protein only" day once per week to keep the weight off.

I must say that I have only made it through Stage 2.  Once I lose the weight, I slip back into my old eating habits and slowly gain the weight back.  However, I am in stage 2 right now and plan to make it all the way this time so I can maintain by "real weight."

This diet works.  It is not for everyone and you should consult your doctor before trying it.  I believe in it.  I've seen the results and I love them.  I just hate the restrictions.  I just keep telling myself that nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.  Maybe I'll believe it one day :)