Body Vision Board



The below vision board was difficult to put together..something seemed off or missing but I decided to stop overthinking and leave it alone. I can always edit later but the important item is that I make a vision board so I know what goal I'm working towards.



Necessities in my weight loss journey with Carey as of mid-February

Anchor myself in God


Eat with wisdom and self-control (embrace the grace that God gives daily and remember to Choose Life …God has given me an abundant life so let me move toward healthier choices)

PLAN!!! (Bulk Cooking is a MUST)!

Believe I can be TRANSFORMED! In due season I will have the body I envision.

Don’t focus on the scale but think about non-scale victories (behavioral changes, bypassing a trigger, focus on what I am doing right).

Track food on myfitnesspal.com

Be active (ultimate goal: 5-6X a week but for now work up to 3X a week whether gym, walking, etc).

Try a new vegetable/fruit

Check in with Carey at least weekly no matter if our schedules don’t align for our chats.

Seek out motivational tools/Use motivational tools more regularly (weight loss scriptures, blogs (divaslimsdown on youtube; find more). I will not buy any more tools until I lose 20 lbs. Use the tools I have.



Time for a new title

My word for this year is unfold. I saw this book I will be purchasing soon called Intuitive Painting:  Let Go!Be Bold! Unfold! This phrase spoke so much to my spirit...that i wanted to adopt this phrase for this year. . As i was looking at my previous title of my blog, "Walking in the Fullness of God" ...that title seemed appropriate for that time period but no longer seem to fit my blog. As important as this is..i dont feel like I'm walking that out as much as i should so i thought a change in title was necessary. I needed something that reflected where i am TODAY.



Snacks/Dinner/Sides/Breakfast


I don't want to forget my new recipes that I've made and enjoyed so I wanted to provide the links here so they can be accessible.

Breakfast

Omelet Muffins (I just made today...nice consistency and base but some seasoning is needed..i made mine with broccoli, zucchini, squash, varied peppers).  I made 24 muffins out of the recipe. Next time i will add maybe basil, onion, and a meat like trader joe's apple sausage that i like but a great one timem meal..i put them away for breakfast next week).
http://www.paleoplan.com/2009/12-03/omelet-muffins/

Dinner/Sides:
Melissa Joulwan's  Caulflower Rice pilaf (I cant find the link right now). My fam loved this. This is becoming a weekly staple in our house.

Melissa Joulwan's The Best Chicken You will ever eat
(what a claim but she is so right. I tried brining for the first time it makes your chicken sooo moist. she has a dipping sauce that she recommends that i didn't like so I would recommend omitting. The first time i made this with chicken breasts and felt like it needed a sauce so i added raw honey. today i made it with thighs and it was perfect as is. i baked it for 20-25 min. My hubby loved and my sister thought it was good but a lil spicy.
http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2009/06/09/the-best-chicken-you-will-ever-eat-ever/


Sweet Potato Fries (I pair with cilantro turkey burgers. I purchase the meat for the turkey burgers at trader joe's. Both are a fam favorite )
http://sarahscucinabella.com/2008/01/22/oven-baked-sweet-potato-fries/
http://www.paleoplan.com/2011/02-02/cilantro-turkey-burgers/


Snacks:
Ants on a log
http://www.paleoplan.com/2011/10-13/ants-on-a-log/ (I cut the stalk into 1 inch pieces resulting in 8-10 slices)

Coconut Chips (found in Trader Joe's. the slight sweet really does cure my craving..I usually have this by itself or i make my own trail mix with 1/4 cup raw almonds and 1/4 cup of raisins.) I wanted to make the real thing but i couldnt find unsweetened coconut chips found here:
http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2011/06/13/carmelized-coconut-chips/



How I'm Feeling as I'm nearing the end of January

It took me into the 2nd week of January  to stay consistent with my food choices and get out of the habit of ordering out but somewhere along the line it became natural where I stayed on course 90% of the time. The item that changed was (1) a much needed conversation with my husband regarding creating a vision of myself so I know where I'm going (2) Carey introducing me to myfitnesspal  (3) God reminding me that he is in everything and i needed to lay down word over weight loss so he directed me to Amazon where I purchased, The Weight Loss Scriptures Daily Devotional by Kimberly Taylor (4) weekly chats with Carey (5) incorporating more snacks.

I haven't had a totally healthy week  yet but i would say at least 13/15 days for the past two weeks have been. I returned to working out regularly (more like 3-4 X a week than what i originally attended...a combo of walking and the gym). SLEEPING more has become imperative to me feeling good about this journey. I started aiming for 7-8 hours twice a week (I would like to meet this sleep requirement every day but it's not practical yet. I am drinking more water..i havent started using my fruit water container (I cant recall its actual name) but i have been using my water dispenser where i turn the top to indicate how much water I've had.

I looked at my day to figure out what throws me off track and it's (1) not eating my normal breakfast because I'm running late (2) not planning/preparing for the week (3) the time between getting off work and arriving home. To combat these items I make sure breakfast is the first thing i do as I'm getting ready or make sure I grab some food. Cooking my meals on the weekend and placing them in clear containers so all I have to do is grab and go. The container trick was something i picked up in my WW meeting (which I returned to attending) is that when we open the fridge we should see organization, we should see healthy foods..cut up in clear containers because we are hungry we start rummage for things but if it's in clear view we are more likely to pick those items (my paraphrasing). OMG! This has been such a tool that i needed. I have snacks on one side cut up (ex. sliced up strawberries, cut up celery (which I dislike but I added my sunflower seed better and raisins (yummy...it's my everyday snack now). thank you paleo for ants on a log. I substituted almond butter for sunflower seed butter because i prefer sunflower seed butter..yummy. Another meeting is to eat fruits and veggies more daily and i've done that.

I havent weighed myself yet because the scale discourages me. I want to give it a full 30 days of tracking on myfitness pal to see if I lost any weight. I think the biggest motivator outside of being healthy is in January when i realized I gained weight..none of my pants felt comfy and thats not a good thing. Yesterday i was able to put on a pair of jeans I havent wore in years. I would be lying if i said it was comfortable. lol. But at least im able to fit them and button them up. Breathing comfortably or bending is another story..my gut is getting in the way. I think i have lost a pants size or getting back to where I was before the holidays so that's good news. Overall i dont always stay within my calorie goal but my thing is lets just focus on ingesting the right things then we can tweak more of how much you are eating.

One thing i realized is that paleo desserts thus far have been a DISASTER which tells me I need the real thing or i need to have skinny cow ice cream which sadly isn't around the corner.Their chocolate chip cookies isnt bad. Overall I'm really happy about where I am in my journey because I'm making healthier choices every day. This journey will  have ebbs and flows but I have to remember take it one step at a time. This is the year that Carey and i will make it to our goals.

 Oh, and J introduced me to a youtube video that he ran across and he thinks that that i would find motivational because i always love to watch weight loss journey's (DivaSlimsDown Channel) and she chronicles her entire journey and i did a sneak peak of today vs the year ago when she started (amazing). I shared the video with my sister since she is closer than Diva than i am and she found this motivational as well. Right now im in the journey where she is given challenges...week 1 (for us last week was working out for 2 hours..we went walking in our neighborhood for an hour and 40 min...legs were gone...lol. we stopped off at a diner and caught the subway back and later that day when visiting a new church we walked a total of twenty minutes so that goal is completed.) As i'm typing ..week 2 (10 miles of activity and 9 cups of water). This will be interesting and a challenge but here we go. I'm still working my way up to 64 oz..I'm probably averaging 40-50 oz.


Recipes for a new year

It's a new year with a fruitful wellness journey with my best friend Carey on the horizon. I'm not sure how i feel about this new year quite yet or the word or intentions for this new year. I do know that if I had to pick three words today to go forth in the new year it would be: health, exploration, self-care. I want my new year to embody all these things. Health wise...it's been a rocky start but with all things that are new..its to be expected....it took awhile to get to obesity it will take awhile to get out of it. What I need to remember is to be patient with myself. The recipes (for a lack of better word) for this year:

  • To ensure self-care is sprinkled weekly into my life. Monthly massages will help in this area.
  • To grow myself spiritually. Full imersion in the word like never before (reading/watching videos). I hope to be connected to a church by year end.
  • To see myself at a healthy weight.
  • To exercise at least 5X a week (try a variety of things). The goal is to get back to my c25k Program.
  • To be creative weekly (I would like to say daily but i dont know how realistic that is). To have artist dates with myself on a bi-monthly basis (I would  like to get to a weekly basis but as i restart this lovely goal lets start there.
  • To drink at least 64 oz water (the massage therapist I went to recently said I should be drinking more water as well...HALF my body weight. I have heard that before but I didnt know how true that was). I have bought the following to help me in this endeavor (http://www.amazon.com/Prodyne-Infusion-93-Ounce-Natural-Pitcher/dp/B0023UL86A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357392154&sr=8-1&keywords=fruit+infusion+pitcher and http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EGO64U/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i02 (I've been looking for one of these but didnt know what it's called).
  • To be creative outside of my normal drawing and tempura painting (try more classes: soap making, water color, glass blowing, etc)
  • To cook healthy meals on a regular occasion and develop recipes for my upcoming recipe box purchase http://www.personalizationmall.com/Personalized-Recipe-Box-with-Monogram-4x6-Acrylic-p13068.prod?sdest=product-cert&sdestid=12924 (I need to figure out the phrase i want on the personalization). I also want to cook for my husband at least once a week (speaking of which I found a new blog chocked with recipes (http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/). Amazing! I found Melissa late one night when purchasing my water bottle on amazon and her cookbook caught my eye because i want to cook more naturally and in paleo form. It was highly rated so I purchased it. I then went over to Melissa website and i really like it. I cant wait to peruse more. Yesterday i said i should try some of her recipes (in hindsight I probably should have done that before I purchased). Well let me tell you I can tell I wont be disappointed. The menu consisted of: Moroccan Pork Chops (http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2008/07/24/healthy-tasty-moroccan-pork-chops/). This was J's fav.Velvety Butternut Squash (http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2011/11/17/velvety-butternut-squash/). This by far was my fav dish. The only addition i made was i sprinkled some equal (which im sure is not paleo friendly but I like a sweetness to my dish. I exchanged pecans for almonds since I'm not a pecan fan. I'm thinking about going to the store and buying more butternut squash). J asked if there was more. Coconut-Almond Green Beans (http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2012/03/14/coconut-almond-green-beans/). This dish was yummy...especially since i dont like green beans. I also made him a moose track ice cream pie by mixing in some ice cream, cashews, and caramel in a mini graham crust. I placed the dish in the freezer for four hours and then added caramel and nuts on top. 

Vegan Enchiladas with Cilantro Avocado Sauce...(File in Rotation)



I feel like I should turn my blog into a recipe blog since that's the primary focus of late. I cant believe how excited I am about cooking! Thank the Lord once again for sending this my way!It's 1:03 in the morning and i just finished making the below. Which was GOOD! Even J thought it was good but as I suspected he thought the sweetness was unnecessary (I added a pack of equal because the recipe calls for pasta sauce and i love sweet pasta). This recipe will definitely be in the rotation pile. I feel like I need a recipe box...hmmm ..may have to look at one of my fav place "personalization mall" next month. i know the above isnt the prettiest picture ..I'll have to work on the presentation on my next batch...(it is after 1 in the morning)

The recipe came from the infamous fabulous Angela.

http://ohsheglows.com/2011/05/04/vegan-enchiladas-with-cilantro-avocado-cream-sauce-2/

Sweet Potato, Black Bean, Spinach, and Pepper Vegan Enchiladas


Adapted from Time Crunch Vegan Enchiladas.


Yield: 4 Enchiladas
Ingredients:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped (~2 cups) (I used red onions because that was in my house)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup sweet potato, chopped (or zucchini) (sweet potato)

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 handfuls spinach, chopped

1 can black beans (~2 cups), drained and rinsed

Enchilada sauce or Pasta sauce (about 2.5 cups)* see note (I used Pasta Sauce-Chunky Ragu Pasta Sauce)

1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional) (This really is optional..I paid close to $6.00 for this and you couldnt even taste it)

1.5 tsp ground cumin

1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice, to taste

1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder, or to taste

4 whole grain tortilla wraps (I used Food for Life Ezekiel) (I used Low Carb Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Tortilla Wraps)

Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce, to pour on top (recipe below)

Green onion & chopped cilantro, to garnish (I made this optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grab a baking dish large enough for 4 enchiladas. Pre-cook the chopped sweet potato, by simmering it in a small pot of water for about 5-10 minutes until just tender. Do not overcook. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large skillet or pot, add 1 tbsp oil and bring to medium to low heat. Add in the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until translucent. Add in garlic and reduce heat to low and cook for a couple more minutes. Now add the chopped pepper, pre-cooked sweet potato, drained black beans, and chopped spinach. Cook for about 5-7 more minutes on medium-low heat.
3. Now add in your enchilada or pasta sauce. Stir well, and add in your seasonings: nutritional yeast (optional), cumin, fresh lime juice, salt, garlic powder, chili powder- all to taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Stir well.
4. Scoop about 3/4-1 cup of the mixture onto the bottom of your casserole dish and spread out in a thin layer. Scoop about 1/2-3/4 cup of the mixture onto each tortilla and wrap, placing the fold down on the casserole dish. Repeat for the remaining 3 tortillas and leave a bit of filling left to spread over the top. Sprinkle with vegan cheese if preferred.
5. Bake tortillas at 350F for 18-20 minutes. Meanwhile, make your Cilantro cream sauce (see below). When enchiladas are cooked, remove from oven and pour the sauce over top. Garnish with chopped cilantro and green onion. Serve immediately. Makes 4 enchiladas.



Note: Depending on what kind of sauce you use, you will have to adjust the seasonings to taste. I used a pasta sauce so I likely needed more seasonings to achieve the taste I desired.

Cilantro Avocado Cream Sauce


Inspired by Kathy’s Cashew Cream Sauce.


Yield: ~1.25-1.5 cups


Ingredients:

1 & 1/4 cup avocado flesh (I'm not there yet to use avocado flesh so I used avocado)

2 tbsp water, or more as needed to thin out

2-3 tbsp lime juice, to taste

1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional)

1 cup packed fresh cilantro

1 tsp kosher salt, to taste

1/2 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp ground cumin

Black pepper, to taste

Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. In a food processor, process the avocado flesh and water until creamy. Now add in the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth and well blended. Use immediately for best results.










Yummy! Fruit Pizza

I made this for my hubby birthday and all I can say is OMG! This is one of the most delicious desserts I have ever made. My hubby thought it was too sweet but i thought it was just right. Just thinking about it makes me smile:)

Angela from oh she glows has done it again! I love avocado but I've never had it outside of chopped up in a dish or in guac. This avocado lime whip is amazing!!! The only tweak I did with the recipe is I bought a multi grain crust..I can't remember the name but i will be making this again and will update the blog with the name. Making a crust from scratch scares me a bit ..not sure I'm that experienced in cooking yet.

Delicious. I devoured this in a day and a half! Here's a pic after I ate one slice. What a refreshing summer dessert! I think next time I'll use equal to cut down on the sugar and will experiment with different crusts just so I see which ones I like the best. I am so tempted to make this again.


The recipe is below:

http://ohsheglows.com/recipage/?recipe_id=6001759
  Ingredients (8-12 slices)



Cinnamon-sugar pizza crust

•1 cup + 3/4 cup white bread flour, divided

•3/4 tsp kosher salt

•2 tbsp sugar

•1.5 tsp cinnamon

•2 & 1/4 tsp pizza yeast (no proofing required)

•3 tbsp oil

•2/3 cup very warm water

•more flour for kneading dough

Avocado-Lime Whip

•4 avocados

•Fresh lime juice from half a lime (approx 1 tsp)

•1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 tsp vanilla extract (vanilla)-I used 1 tsp of Trader Joe's vanilla

•1/4 cup agave nectar

•2-3 tbsp coconut oil, melted

•1-2 tbsp coconut milk

•12 tbsp icing sugar (confectioner’s)-I used 6 tbsp

Fruit

•Fruit salsa: Chop up a mixture of strawberries, mandarin oranges, mango, kiwi, and raspberries. Add in blueberries too. You will want about 2-3 cups of the salsa.

•Fruit layer: Mandarin, strawberries (sliced), blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi (sliced), mango (sliced), and whatever else your little heart desires! Peach would be good too.

Instructions



For crust

•1. Preheat oven to 500F. In a large mixing bowl, mix together 1 cup flour, plus the salt, sugar, cinnamon, yeast. Stir well. Now quickly add 2/3 cup very warm water along with 3 tbsp oil. Stir well. It will be very sticky but not to worry.

•2. Now add in 3/4 cup- 1 cup more flour, gradually, as you stir. Once the flour is in, grab the dough and place on floured surface.

•3. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, adding flour as it gets tacky. After 5 mins the dough should be smooth and not tacky. Form into a ball and place in a large oiled bowl. Cover the ball with a bit of oil so it doesnt dry out. Now cover the bowl and let it rise for 1.5 hours. You can punch out the air halfway through.

•4. After rising time, punch air out and spread into an oiled pizza pan or you can place it directly onto a preheated pizza stone. Sprinkle with lots of sugar and bake at 500F for 14-15 mins. until golden. Cooking time may vary so watch carefully.

For avocado whip

•In a food processor, add in the avocado, lime juice, and agave. Process until smooth. Now add in the vanilla, melted coconut oil, and coconut milk. As the last step, add in the icing sugar very gradually until the consistency you want is achieved. Cool in fridge for about 30 minutes before using. Spread over the base of cooled & cooked pizza crust.

For Fruit

•After you have spread on the avocado-lime whip, it is time to layer on the fruit. I started with an outer layer of fruit salsa, followed by a layer of sliced fruit. After those two layers, I did a very small layer of sprinkled coconut, followed by a layer of raspberries, and then finally fruit salsa. I left the inner circle open as I was going to put a large strawberry there, but then we ate it and that was that!