Sorry the picture isn't so pretty, someday I will take those photography lessons. Until then, you'll have to look at crappy pictures of yummy food!
Just finished up the last of my chicken salad. I think I made it Sunday, so really it lasted an entire three days, and it is only me here! Whoah, so much for food rotation. This tasted so yummy, I could have ate it for every single meal this week! Speaking of, it was actually my breakfast Monday morning!
Sorry the picture isn't so pretty, someday I will take those photography lessons. Until then, you'll have to look at crappy pictures of yummy food!
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Eight years ago, we adopted this fabulous German Shorthaired Pointer, Buck! We didn't name him, and I'm not sure we would have picked that name either but it is fitting and perfect because it belongs to my loyal little companion! I've been blessed with an animal that is capable of showing me that never ending lasting love exists and the more you wag your tail, the better it gets! Pictures above, tongue out and tail wagging. I swear he was put on my doorstep to show me how fun it can be to live from intention, to play, and to love.
And, oh gosh about three years ago now, I started my own business. Fifteen months ago, I ventured out to give that business my all. This meant no more full time or part time jobs to rely on a steady income, just trust. Trust in that if I followed my passions pursuit it would all work out. I can't believe in the last fifteen months where this business has grown. It is not whooping huge, and I never intend for it to be! It's just perfect. What does this all have to do with life in abundance, food, cleanse, nutrition? We'll let me tie it together. When you follow your passions, it just works, you have everything you need. Life brings us gifts every single day. It's up to us if we choose to wake up and accept, or receive, those gifts. It's up to us how our outlook will be for that moment or that day. I personally try, life happens, but I try real hard to go to wake up and say "Welcome universe, I'm open. Open to giving and open to receiving these great gifts." At night, I try really hard to just say a simple "Thank you." What will my thank you be tonight? It will be for today, getting to spend another day with my pup, kids, families, getting to wiggle my toes in the grass while I played fetch with my ever terrific kick-arse pup, and doing cartwheels at the park. It will be for the energetic motivation this circle work and cleansing group I'm involved bring. I can't wait to wake up to see what gifts tomorrow holds. It wasn't always like this for me, it started like this but somewhere in my late twenties into early thirties I lost this. Everything became a hassle, managing the daily grind of life wasn't fun, and I was miserable. Only the ones that knew me well, knew just how miserable. So I had to learn to clean house and clean out. I can't help but get excited about the warmth that fills my heart now and how I know that I made that choice. That choice that we each have every day we wake- how will my outlook be? How will I tackle today? Do I focus on the cant's, the wont's, the should haves OR do I make the intentional choice to see all the miracles that exist around me? It's up to you, totally up to you! "That was the day she made the promise to live more from intention and less from habit." ~unknown Why does this blog posting thing always seem to find me when I should be in bed. Ack, I've been fairly tired in the mornings lately too.... So I should be in bed but I'm just too excited about my tasty dinner tonight and I just have to share it with you all.
So I looked in the fridge and thought what the what am I going to eat for dinner.... hmm and this is what I came up with. I went a little overboard on the jalapeños so... I've toned it down for you a little bit here in this recipe. Even though it was scrumptious, it had quite the kick. Yours shouldn't have quite as much kick, and if you always want a little more, just up the anty! Watch falling pieces on the floor if you have house pets. My pup, I think, scooped up a tiny bite off the floor. I'm almost positive because he proceeded to drink 2 bowls of water before I cut him off.. WHOOPS! Serves: 6 Time: 10-15 minutes Effort: Uber Easy Ingredients: 1 head of cauliflower, organic of course 1/2 large red onion, organic of course 1-2 large roma tomatoes, organic- no surprise 1/2 jalapeño pepper (or go brave and go for the whole thing) 5 cloves of garlic, minced 1-2 cups cilantro, chopped 2-3 cups baby kale (I pulled this straight from the garden tonight!) 1/4-1/2 cup mint leaves 1 1/2 TBS olive oil 1 TBS red wine vinegar 1/2 TBS ume plum vinegar 1/2-1 tsp Himalayan sea salt juice from 1/2 lemon 1. Soak cauliflower in a large bowl of salt water, head upside down. While cauliflower is soaking chop up the following: red onion (great advice on how to chop here), and tomatoes. Mince the garlic cloves. Put in large bowl. 2. Throw the jalapeño (1/2), cilantro, mint, kale in a food processor and chop until fine. Scoop out and dump in large bowl with onion, tomato, and garlic. 3. Rinse off the cauliflower, cut off leaves/stem, then cut into chunks. Throw this in the food processor until fine. Toss it in the large bowl with the rest. 4. Stir in the olive oil, red wine vinegar, ume plum vinegar, sea salt, and juice from lemon. 5. Mix it up and shazam, there's your side dish! *note Ume Plum Vinegar has a lot of salt/sodium so you may just want to sprinkle salt to taste or skip the salt altogether.. You decide. I love the minerals from sea salt AND I used to have really really LOW blood pressure, so I salt it up, but really it is your preference!* August 5, 2014 Chia Energy Training Bites.... I found this new app, love it, OM writer. I have to admit, its kept me up too late at night the past few nights. So I’m getting a head start tonight a little earlier. This post is going to get to the recipe, just hang on. Somehow, I have to tie my thoughts into the recipes. As of the past year, I’ve lost myself in the kitchen. Daniel almost exclusively did the cooking the first five years of our relationship. I really didn’t know how to cook and didn’t want to learn (kind of like learning the nitty gritty of taking care of my bike). But when I found myself in the middle of nowhere last year, I found this respect for the earth and what it can provide. It actually sickens me how we take care of mother earth and mother nature now. So nonetheless, the kitchen, long walks, hikes, easy jogs, rising and falling sun beams over the horizon, and food (real food) helped me to find new hobbies, while taking control of my health (note folks, it wasn’t long work hours, climbing the corporate ladder, or winning a race that got me here-there isn't anything wrong with these but I was out of balance in all these areas). It was self-reflection. A lot of that reflection time, I found in the kitchen, preparing food that was going to nourish not only Daniel and I, but Buck too (yes, I went there, my dog often eats well). Buck developed a cancerous tumor, ironically the same summer I was dealing with post concussive syndrome and an out of whack thyroid.... Which only proves my point, we live in an inter-connected world with plants, animals, energy and each other. So with no further ado, on to my energy balls recipe.. As I started to prepare and cook meals from food that breathed, that worked in synchrony with us, I watched Daniel grab chemical sugar packages from the cupboard. I thought what the hell are we doing? Yes, it was that extreme. I once too said, "if I am going to eat this junk there is no better time than while training." Because right before, during, and right after training we are fuel burning machines...right? WRONG! Well maybe there is some truth to that. I’m not going to get into the science behind that because I have one premise here and that is not it.... If we are wearing our bodies down with training stress (yes, endurance training is a stress), sugar and chemicals will only further increase inflammation and damage. Now, not all sugar is created equal and there is a nice article here you can read about. However, in my mind - during high amounts of volume training we need to put the best food into our bodies, because frankly, bodies deserve the best of the best. There is a whole other agenda too. Money is energy, and well..... I’m not funding anything that could be more detrimental to our little ones' (your children or grandchildren) futures than we already have. So if I have to make a stance, I think its going to be the best spent in making the statement by not buying the bad goods (aka training junk that is on the market). And that my readers, is how I came to the Chia Energy Balls Recipe. Chia Almond Energy Balls 1/2 cup ground chia seeds 1/4 cup unsweetened organic shredded coconut 2-3 dates (soaked) 2 TBS raw honey (local if possible) 1 TBS Lucuma Powder (by navita naturals) 1 TBS coconut flour (optional) 1 TBS almond butter 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1 square ghiradelli unsweetened baking chocolate Paste: Mix honey, lucuma powder, vanilla and coconut flour in a food processor or by hand. I used the coconut flour on my first batch and not the second batch- both stuck together and seemed fine. I then add the dates, make sure they are well combined and not chunky. Dough: Add the ground chia seeds to the processor. I first ground the chia seeds by hand with a salt grinder, then D decided I could use his coffeee grinder which worked perfect and was much easier! The Stuff: Add the coconut flakes, baking cacoa, sea salt and cinnamon and process briefly. Once all combined, grab a spoon (or if you have a cookie dough baller use that), make small balls. I stuck to a tsp sized ball, roll them in the palm of your hands and place in a mini cupcake tray (or on wax paper on a cookie sheet); place in the freezer for 15 minutes and they are set to go. I recommend keeping them in the freezer or fridge until ride/run time :) I believe the ones I made make 12-15 from this recipe. My numbers differed a bit depending on the size I made (and how much I tasted out of the food processor while making them DOH)! *photo credit to Daniel Matheny*
Good Evening, The picture to the left is of me, the night prior to my wedding. Notice my thick hair. I can't wait to get back to that again! Since my last post was about eating seasonal (and I'm trying, trying hard), I thought I'd give ya a summer recipe that I happen to fancy and have gotten rave reviews about! Plus it is fool proof- you don't have to be a culinary chef to make this dish. You just need a bowl, some measuring cups, a spoon and the ability to shake! Sure, shake that booty while you make these! I promise the kids will like this too! As fate would have it, last night as I was reading I stumbled upon an excellent article about berries and how they are related to your health. I'll bullet point some key facts I found:
-Berries have high concentrations of phenolics (classified as antioxidants) -Berries and whole berry extracts (not juiced) help with cholesterol balancing, urinary tract balancing, blood sugar balancing, microflora balancing, cell membrane balancing and yes, vision support -Research supports the efficacy of berry consumption in treating brain and neurological disorders -Blueberries in particular may help improve memory function in older adults when consumed daily -Hawthorne berries support the heart -Cranberries support the urinary tract -Elderberries support white blood cell function -Sea buckthorns berry supports skin, nails, and hair (I need to get me some) -Bilberry the eyes -Blueberry, blackberry, gogi berry, and black currants are rich in anthocyanin and proanthocyanin compounds...all helping reduce the risks associated with aging brains But berries don't only support your brain, they are good for performance as well. According to a study conducted on the effects of ingesting blueberries before and after strenuous exercise, biomarkers of recovery and muscle strength were positive. Noting specifically, "that 36 hours after ingestion the "blueberry group" demonstrated significant increases in strength as well as decreases in muscle soreness as compared to the placebo group" (Nancy, www.developinghealthyhabits.com). If brain health and performance effects are not enough, then here are few more reasons to persuade you to munch on berries: -blueberries can support the health of the colon -Billberry positively can effect visual degenerative issues but slowing and reversing Therefore, eat your berries during season like they are going out of style! I have just the recipe for you, Berry Cobbler! Recipe adapted from the Practical Paleo Cookbook! Well...I don't know why I'm up still. I'm breaking all my rules right now- yup after 9:30pm and also electronics in bed. Two big NO NOs! I think I'm still a bit wired from my drive back down from DIA. I mean really, its April 13th and I just ended up driving in over 2 1/2 hours of snow, no beuno! I love snow and all but IT IS TIME FOR SPRING! So I thought I'd wind down by posting one of my new favorite recipes. I've been experimenting with game day food (race food) for Daniel and ultimately for his athletes and our friends. A race food that fuels one's body but isn't full of shit (pardon my french, but yes that is what I said)! I liked these so much that only a week and a half later the pan is gone- yes yep just disappeared. Problem, I'm not really training or racing right now, doh! I took a peek at Lara Bars (too much sugar for me) but I like them, they are much better than say gu or roctane or something of that sort. They are made of real food. Then, as always, I took a look at the price and thought, "heck, I know I can make these cheaper." So, here they are! This recipe is packed full of whole real food goodness. Cherries- get the tart, unsweetened dried kind. These are a bit harder to find, but well worth it, really. Cherries help tame inflammation (woohoo, no one wants that) and supposedly reduce belly fat (everyone wants that)! But for the athlete that is performing, cherries can combat post-workout soreness (although you'd likely need more than are in these bars FYI)! They do so by reducing muscle inflammation! Tahini is rich in phosphorus, magnesium, lecithin, potassium and iron; a great source of calcium; full of B vitamins and E; helps maintain healthy muscle tone; promotes healthy cell growth and for those athletes on game day, is easy to digest! The same benefits of coconut oil (high in saturated fatty acids and medium-chain triglycerides which are both easily burned as fuel by the body) apply to Coconut Cream concentrate as well! However, unlike coconut oil that is fat soluble, coconut cream is both fat and water soluble. What does this mean? Coconut butter is made from the whole coconut flesh and Mark Sisson talks about the benefits of coconut in this article. Since magnesium helps produce energy and doses in this recipe are coming from both the tahini and the Cacao Powder (stick with organic only please, make sure it is not heated too high as well. That means say away from the Hershey's junk) contain magnesium, which helps to produce energy. Now, I'm well aware that Cacao is very very controversial. Although I'm currently using it, I don't plan to buy more when I'm out, at least not for a little while. But I think in these bars for healthy fit athlete, I don't think it is going to hurt! There are some claims that cacao may even be beneficial for asthma (I haven't done much research here, so it needs further investigation). All these terms are likely starting to sound redundant but here ya go, Dates provide dietary fiber, antioxidants, potassium and magnesium. Potassium is both a mineral and an electrolyte, that triggers enzymes crucial for energy metabolism and is needed for cardiac, smooth and skeletal muscles to contract efficiently. Makes sure these suckers are, well you guessed it, ORGANIC! If treated with chemical pesticides, your destroying most, if not all, of the health benefits you will receive. So there ya have it, the skinny on the main ingredients in this recipe. I must add, as a recovering sugar addict, I don't believe I'm ready for this food/recipe quite yet. Case in point, as soon as I tasted it, it was a made dash for the whole thing, but for the performing endurance athlete that needs fuel during training or competition, I reckon these might be just the thing! Test them out and I'd love your thoughts/opinions (honesty please)! Merry Christmas Eve!
This holiday time is such a fun time for me! I am not home this year in NY with family and really miss that; but also have my own little family right here to celebrate with! We also have some great friends coming over for dinner tonight too (they also are extended-family-less for the holidays). Last week, I made this new Rosemary-Sage Chicken recipe for our dinner guests. Yes, I do try new recipes for our guests, not perfected ones! Needless to say, it turned out wonderful, or they were just being extremely nice in their compliments. So it's going to be our main meat dish at Christmas Eve dinner tonight too!! I am so excited, and the smells just take over the kitchen! When the kitchen was full of yummy goodness that made my mouth water, I thought to myself.. I don't know much about this herb, sage.... so before I give you the recipe lets talk a bit about the health benefits of sage! Sage, like most herbs, was used medicinally before it hit the kitchen cabinets. Sage is used in Italian, German, Middle East and English cuisine predominately, however; you'll likely find it in Italian cuisine! In America, it is primarily used in cheeses. Sage has memory and mood boosting effects. The Latin name for sage is Salvis officinalis meaning to save or to cure. Researched has indicated that sage is capable of boosting your mood, helping your concentration and improving memory (Healing Spices, Bharat Aggarwal, Ph.D). Research studies completed confirming its affects:
Rosemary-Sage Chicken 3 lb free range chicken legs (organic, I recommend US Wellness Meats or your local organic farmer) ground black pepper dried rosemary dried sage 1/4 Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 TBS fresh squeezed lemon juice 1. Preheat oven on broil 2. lay chicken legs out, let thaw (if frozen), and pat dry with a towel 3. season the chicken all over with ground pepper (I use a pepper grinder) 4. cook chicken in glass pan under broiler for 30-40 minutes, watch closely and turn over often. Once internal chicken temp reaches 160* remove from oven 5. Meanwhile, combine all other ingredients liberally in food processor and combine 6. Pour over chicken, cover with tin foil, and let it cool for 10 minutes with seasonings spooned on top This recipe is that simple and oh so delicious! With winter in full force and our temps only in the single digits for the last three mornings, it occurred to me that I haven't put my favorite cold-weather porridge up on the blog! Man, this stuff is good and quick and EASY! I'm pretty sure your kids will love it too (if you have kids)! Great quick breakfast for those chaotic mornings. It's beyond good for you and don't worry about the fat- its healthy form! Just make sure you stick with coconut milk from a can without the added junk..Just some coconut and water (and maybe some guar gum if you're not sensitive)! This recipe was in the meal plan for Week 1 in December, getting you through the holidays staying healthy! Good Evening! It's been a wonderful Saturday! I'm loving the cold front weather that has come in (I'm sure others don't relate)! However, it truly reminds me, northern girl here, of December, the holidays, and the changing of seasons. I like change, it keeps life spicy! So I embarked this past week on keeping you all updated with my food choices and meal plan. This great idea for a blog was inspired by a few friends of mine. As you can tell, I made it to Monday keeping this blog up to date before I got behind. It has been a busy week and trying to stay on top of working full time, family time, and blogging..well I did my best. There is good news though, as promised, I've put it all in a spreadsheet here! I'm going to try tonight to also link hyperlinks to most of the recipes. Remember, my grocery bill was roughly $86.00 this week (I did have some of the ingredients already in the cupboard, but then again, I did also buy some things not on the list)! Eating real live, healthy food, doesn't have to be expensive or time consuming! |
Heather Matheny,
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