Nutrient-packed stuffed peppers

Hopefully your mouth is watering just looking this picture because it's hard for me to describe the deliciousness of these stuffed peppers. 

Peppers are nutritional powerhouses. They are excellent sources of vitamin A, C and B6 and potassium and a good source of folic acid and fiber. One large pepper has 33 calories, 287 mg of potassium, 2.8g of fiber and 1.4g protein.
Every time you eat a pepper, you are filling your body with phytochemicals, antioxidants and they help reduce inflammation with their anti-inflammatory benefits.
They also give a great flavor to both raw and cooked dishes.
Fruits and veggies in general are great for the immune system.

For athletes, opting for cooked veggies at dinner (versus raw, which would be ideal at lunch) can help with digestion so that you aren't expending a huge amount of energy trying to digest a lot of roughage after an evening workout or late at night before you go to bed (and wake-up for an early morning workout).
Plus, cooking veggies will allow you to eat a lot more variety and volume in one sitting versus raw.
(Although Karel's raw chopped salad that he made the other day packed a lot of ingredients!)

Cooking produce is shown to reduce the vitamin and mineral content, but you shouldn't avoid eating cooked veggies just because of this statement. Compared to other foods, vegetables pack a lot of great nutrients so even if some of those nutrients are destroyed in cooking, you are still providing your body with more nutrients than if you didn't eat veggies or opted for something more unnatural or heavily processed. Also, in terms of steaming and boiling some veggies like tomatoes and carrots, you may end up with more vitamins and minerals than if consumed raw.

Consider making my delicious stuffed peppers for dinner and be sure to plan for leftovers. Enjoy your extra stuffed pepper (chopped up) in a homemade soup or in an egg scramble for breakfast the next day. 

STUFFED PEPPERS

Ingredients(for 2 people)

Red pepper (1 per person - or plan 1 more for leftovers)
Zucchini - 1 large
Mushrooms (1 large container - sliced)
Garlic (2 large cloves - more if you love garlic)
Onion - 1 small (chopped)
Eggplant - 1 small/medium (cubed)
Barley - or grain/rice of your choice - cooked
Olive oil - 1+ tbsp (as needed)
Protein - chicken or ground beef or tempeh, edamame, crumbled tofu or vegetarian "meat" crumbles

Salt/pepper
Marinara Sauce - 1 jar (or you can make your own with basil and chopped roasted canned tomatoes)
Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. While oven is heating, cook zucchini, mushrooms, garlic, onion and eggplant in a skillet with olive oil until soft. Cook on medium to low heat. Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper. You can also add any other herbs/spices that you like.
(Your grain/rice should already be cooked at this time)
3. Use a knife to remove the top of the pepper and remove any seeds from the inside. Use a spoon to scoop the inside to make room for your stuffing.
(If you accidentally slice your pepper open so you can't stuff it - don't stress. I've done this before. Just chop your pepper and make a stir-fry dish and try again when you have more peppers :)
4. Pour your marinara sauce in a casserole dish which is large enough to hold your peppers. Fill about 1/4-1/3 with sauce. Add cooked grain/rice to the sauce and stir to combine. This will be your "stew" to enjoy with your pepper.
5. Place your pepper in the stew.
6. From the stew, spoon 2-3 spoonfuls into your pepper just to fill the bottom of the pepper. Now take your veggie mixture from the skillet and stuff your pepper as much as possible - it's ok if it overflows.
7. Add the extra veggie mixture to the casserole stew and cook for 40-50 minutes. 

8. Remove pepper from oven, top with cheese. Serve with your choice of protein (you can also add your protein to the inside of the pepper or in the stew)
9. Yum!

Coconut tumeric stir-fry with golden potatoes and tofu

Coconut tumeric stir-fry with 

golden potatoes and tofu

Ingredients to serve 2 
1 medium golden potato (cubed)
1 package firm tofu (cubed)
1 bag Asian style veggies (Frozen) - if you have extra time, let them de-thaw in 'fridge or counter top for at least 30 minutes, until soft.
Tumeric
1/2 - 1 cup coconut milk
Peanuts
Olive oil
(Want leftovers? Double up this recipe!)

1. In large skillet, (or wok) heat to medium and add a little olive oil and cook tofu until slightly brown on the sides. Toss every 2-3 minutes for even cooking.
2. While tofu is cooking for 5-8 minutes, place cubed golden potato in microwave and cook for 3-4 minutes or until soft (you may also boil or oven-bake your potato until soft). Keep skin on for more nutritional value. 

3. Add potato to tofu in skillet/wok and add 1/2 cup coconut milk and 2-3 tsp of tumeric. 

4. Add frozen veggies to your skill and stir until veggies are lightly tossed in coconut milk. 

5. Cook for 20-25 minutes until veggies are soft. If needed, add more coconut milk, however, your mixture should not be boiling so if the liquid is disappearing, turn down the heat a little.
6. When finished, season with a pinch of salt (if needed) and top with a few peanuts and enjoy!

Substitutions:
-You may use any lean meat instead of tofu or you can use beans/lentils
-You can use your favorite can of soup (we use Amy's) for the "broth" instead of coconut or any stock that you'd like
-You can choose any veggie mixture (fresh or frozen)

Trimarni produce tip:

Make sure you always have at least two bags of recipe-ready frozen veggies in your freezer for an easy yet healthy, go-to meal. This is a must-have for busy athletes for you never know when you will need/want something quick and healthy or to simply bump-up your veggie intake at one meal (either as a side or mixed into your meal).
Whereas canned fruits and veggies tend to lose nutritional value during the canning (or preserving) process, frozen fruits and veggies may be an ideal choice if your favorite (or most commonly consumed) produce is not in season or you just can't get to the store for a few days. Frozen produce is processed at peak ripeness which means they are nutrient-packed. Regardless if a fresh produce item is organic or not, the "best" produce is always local so if you are anti-frozen foods or haven't yet learned to appreciate how they can be incorporated into your diet, keep in mind that fresh produce is shipped around the country. It is picked before it is ripe so it has less time to develop it's full package of vitamins and minerals. This doesn't mean you can not eat produce from another state (as we do all the time) but if you have been steering clear of frozen veggies and fruits, understand that flash-freezing locks veggies into a nutrient-rich state. Even during shipping, they do not lose nutrients during their haul to your grocery store as they are not exposed to heat and light (like fresh produce). 

We always have a variety of fruits and veggies in our home as we are lucky that we can shop for produce at least 2-3 times per week (I can easily go through a container of blueberries and  raspberries in one a day so when my fav berries are in season or on sale, I get super excited!). We love adding a variety of simple or mixed recipe-ready frozen veggies to soups, stews, stir-frys, pasta/rice mixtures, omelets or as a simple side to a meal or as a snack. 

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

When in Utah, I was inspired by one of our dinners at the Oakley Women house. It was pasta night and we had a variety of pasta's for every type of dietary preference. We had regular lasagna w/ meat, gluten free/vegetarian lasagna and spaghetti squash lasagna. All but the meat lasagna, I sampled them all and really enjoyed my first taste of spaghetti squash lasagna. I just love the flavors of pizza and you can't go wrong with cheese and sauce so I figured this would be a great creation to try at home.

Wow - it did not disappoint us and Karel absolutely loved it (aka "husband approved"). Feel free to switch up the veggies and use your choice of protein. I had a super busy day yesterday - non stop work after my morning interval run so I tried to keep this recipe super simple. In the morning I had planned for this for dinner so I prepared the squash earlier in the day (I work at home when I am not in the hospital) so that it would be easy for preparing, later in the day.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

1 spaghetti squash (small - for 2 people)
Marinara sauce (~1 cup - for 2 people)
Tofu (1/2 container firm)
Onion (1 medium, sliced)
Garlic (2 large cloves, chopped)
Shredded cheese
Spinach

Allow 45-50 minutes to cook the spaghetti squash.
Squash prep:
-preheat oven to 450 degrees. Use a casserole dish for the squash (recommend a rectangle one)
-slice squash in half (for easy slicing, instead of sticking your knife all the way through the squash, take little slices around the center as the inside of the squash is hollow so it is easy to cut without having the knife go all the way through)
-cook squash for 45-50 min or until top is slightly brown.
-Let cool. Remove seeds w/ fork or fingers and use fork to shred the squash to make "spaghetti"

For lasagna:
1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2) Spray a large glass casserole dish w/ a little non stick spray.
3) Spoon a little marinara on bottom of dish until lightly covered.
4). Layer with small handful of spinach to cover the sauce, then top with squash (dropping bunches over the spinach - it doesn't have to be evenly covered).
5) Then crumble 1/4 of your 1/2 container of tofu on the squash (if you aren't a fan of tofu, you won't even taste it - however you can use ricotta or your choice of protein).
6) Sprinkle with onions (I used a lot). Then repeat again starting with the sauce and finish with layer of spinach.
7) Sprinkle a little cheese on top and bake for 30 minutes. (In the last 10 minutes I sprinkled more chopped garlic on top).

Veggie-packed lasagna

 

It's not about the noodles. When it comes to lasagna, there's something about the combination of flavors that come in layers as you take each bite. I realize that my Lasagna doesn't compare to Carraba's Italian Grill Lasagna but maybe that's because a serving of lasagna in the restaurant can give your body ~750 calories, 45g of fat and 2500+ mg sodium. My creation fuels an active body.

 

When it comes to my diet, I don't have off-limit foods. I have a way of eating that allows me to fuel my active lifestyle. When I make my creations, I like to taste each ingredient and get lost in flavor. There's nothing worse than eating a meal and having the mind rolling w/ thoughts as to all the reasons why you "shouldn't" be eating it. It's no fun eating when you have an unhealthy relationship w/ food and your body. It's not the food that you need to evaluate....consider your mind.

 

I encourage everyone to eat in a way that makes you feel good. I don't want to give up food and the opportunity to eat foods that make me feel good, just because someone tells me they are bad. Certainly, gaining weight doesn't happen overnight and from one meal and I will not dismiss the fact that we should all emphasize foods that will keep the human body in optimal health. Perhaps eating when you aren't hungry, eating for emotional reasons, eating because you are sleep-deprived, eating because of poorly timed eating habits, overeating because you "deserved it" and any other "reason" you can come up with may better explain the gradually changes in body composition.....and not the lasagna noodles that I used in my creation and the "carbs" in my meal that are "bad".

 

When was the last time you had a snack after you ate dinner? Why doesn't your dinner meal leave you satisfied? I'm not talking about a small piece of dark chocolate which is my favorite way to finish any meal, but instead, why are you finishing a meal and immediately thinking to yourself...what's next or justifying the late evening snack?

 

I feel snacking serves 3 purposes: compliment meals so that your daily diet is balanced and to fill in nutritional gaps, control the appetite before the next meal or to prevent drops in blood sugar. There's nothing wrong w/ a snack after dinner and I encourage eating every few hours during the day but depending on your reason for snacking, this can help you decide what you really need for a snack. Do you need 3 almonds to prevent a drop in blood sugar or do you need cottage cheese or yogurt w/ fruit because your next meal is 5 hours away? It's not that you can't eat the granola bar but instead, would an apple serve a better purpose of "snacking" if you answered the questions above? 

 

When it comes to meals, I believe many people need to rethink the composition of meals so that they leave you satisfied....one bite short of feeling too satisfied and just enough room for you to have an after meal snack BUT it is not needed because you know you will survive going to bed a tad bit hungry. With a balanced daily diet, your dinner meal should leave you complete so that you not only enjoy the fruits of your labor w/ meal prep but you are not snacking your way through the eating and post-poning a good night of rest.

 

I hope you enjoy my veggie-packed lasagna. Feel free to choose your own protein, veggies and lasagna noodles, based on your liking.

 

Veggie-packed lasagna
Serves 2

Lasagna noodles - 4-5 cooked to al dente (you will likely use less)

Boca veggie meat (1 - 1.5 cups)

Firm tofu (1/2 container)

1 large sweet bell pepper (sliced)

1/2 cup chopped onion
Herbs/spices - rosemary, basil, oregano, pepper, chili pepper
Shredded cheese
Garlic - 1-2 cloves chopped
Marinara sauce
Spinach

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Gently rub glass casserole dish w/ a little olive oil (I used a small loaf-like casserole dish. For more servings, I recommend a rectangle dish).

2. Spoon a little marinara on bottom of the dish.

3. Place noodles on bottom of dish, not overlapping (I used about 3/4th noodle, sliced w/ a knife to allow for even layer).

4. Sprinkle a little veggie meat (thawed a little or microwave for 15 seconds), tofu, onions and sliced peppers on noodle. Sprinkle w/ herbs of your choice and a little sliced garlic.

5. Top w/ spinach to cover and then sprinkle w/ shredded cheese (small handful - it does not need to be covered)

6. Place another noodle (sliced as needed to prevent overlapping) on the spinach and top with meat, tofu, pepper, onion, garlic and then marinara spoonfuls. Top with more spinach and then a sprinkle of cheese.

7. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes.

Recommend serve w/ large salad w/ fruit and nuts (ex. spinach, pear and walnuts).

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Eggplant stew-fry and 6 healthy living tips

Last nights dinner made us YUMMM a lot more than normal. Every bite was delicious - too good not to share.

 

I'm not sure if I would call it a stir-fry or stew so how about we call it a stew-fry.

 

Eggplant, zucchini and chickpea stewfry1 eggplant (chopped)
1 large zucchini (sliced)
Corn (about 1 cup)
Chickpeas (rinsed and drained, 1 can)
3 cloves garlic
Marinara sauce (about 1/2 cup)
Onions
Tomatoes
spices: rosemary, chili, pepper, sea salt (a pinch)
Olive oil
Veggie crumble meat (or your choice of protein)
Brown rice

1. Cook brown rice according to package/bag
2. In large pot, cook ingredients on low heat, tossed in a tbsp or two of olive oil. Add a little water (about 1/2 cup), seasonings and cover. Stir occasionally and cook until veggies are soft.
3. Add marinara sauce and turn off heat. cover and stir for a minute.
4. In shallow bowl, place 1 serving brown rice and top w/ veggie mixture. Enjoy!

In the October 2012 issue of Cooking Light Magazine there was a great article (as always) on Healthy Living pg 56.
Brian Wansink, PHD is the author of Mindless Eating: why we eat more than we think.
Here are 6 tips for healthy living according to Brian:

1) Slow Down - Because it takes a few minutes for your stomach to relay signals of satiety to your brain, eating too fast means you pile on calories unawares. Slow down and you'll feel your body's signals sooner and eat less. When you sit down for a meal, make an eat-slower pledge.

2) Abandon the Clean Plate Club - In one Wansink study, Parisians were asked how they knew when to stop eating. Their answer: when they felt full. Chicagoans' answer: when everyone else is done eating or when my plate is empty. Think like a Parisian.

3) Be selective about what you put on the table: Plate entrees in the kitchen and then serve lower-calorie veggies and salads family-style at the table. Proximity can make the 20% difference (eating 20% less by not counting calories but still enjoying your food).

4) Think about the color of your dishes - If you're having mashed potatoes, you'll eat 18% more if they're served on a white plate than if they're served on a plate that offers more contrast. The reason is that the higher the contrast, the more aware you are of how big your serving is.

5) Face your food - Never eat directly from a package. Always portion food out into a dish so you must face exactly how much you will eat. We consume 20-30% more when we eat straight from a box or bag. And the bigger the package, the more we consume. If you buy in bulk, repackage snacks into individual containers or zip-top bags.

6) Remember the movie - munchie rule - Moviegoers who ate popcorn from a large bucket at 53% more than those who chose a medium-sized bucket. The takeaway: get in the habit of choosing and serving smaller portions all around. Give people a lot and they will eat a lot. It's just human nature.

Stuffed green pepper and lentils

 

This was a very exciting weekend for many as athletes from around the world took part in IMFL. Sadly, the NYC marathon was also to be held this weekend but instead, a lot of well-fueled, tapered bodies are running around the city to deliver goods and help clean-up. My thoughts are with everyone up North and just keep staying strong.

No easy way to change topics during this sad time but let's keep remembering how great life is and why it should be lived to the max, every day.

 

Six years ago today I crossed my very first Ironman finishing line. Inexperienced, naive, stubborn and determined, I didn't have any fears about swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles or running 26.2 miles, for my mind and body were ready for the challenge. My biggest fear was the unknown of how my heart would beat so hard and how my body would function for a 140.6 mile event. 11 hours and 47 seconds later, I realized that anything is possible if you prepare.

 

I posted earlier this weekend on my facebook page about catching the endurance athlete bug. It can be very motivating to watch others participate in an event and to want to sign-up/register and experience the similar thrill and excitement of crossing a finish line. But let's not forget that an inspiring one day effort requires months if not years of training. It comes with obstacles, highs, lows and a lot of support from others. It requires, patience, time, money and help from others. Keep in mind that the process of training your mind and body for an event should be respected as something time-consuming and slow.  In order to keep life balanced, here's a blog I did on
consistency.

 

After Branson 70.3, I took about 3 weeks off from structured activity. Perhaps some would argue not long enough but let's also keep in mind that I did not do an Ironman this year, I don't race a lot and my average weekly training hours for my "long distance" races are around twelve a week.  Although I train hard, I also recover harder and my nutrition, sleep and attitude are three key areas to keep me strong, fit and healthy. Here we are with cooler races and I am excited to work on my running in order to get more efficient, stronger and faster.

 

I have a lofty running goal of breaking 1:30 in a half marathon. I'm not letting my slow-twitch body stop me from having this goal because I love training hard for great performances. I don't allow time goals to determine my success in sport but they often become a driving force as to what I am focused on when it comes to training and this helps me stay focused when it comes to training. It's not about a time goal for a PR but rather, setting goals that are challenging and that require me to step outside my comfort zone.

 

Let me tell ya....this goal is years in the making and season after season, it is taking 1/2 and mile repeater after repeater to teach my body how to run faster. Certainly, dealing with my chronic hip (piriformis/iliopsoas) injury for 3+ years put a damper on my true potential as a runner but with lots of strength training and smarter training, I'm finally seeing progress. This year, I am able to run faster than ever during training so I think it is only a matter of time (hoping not another season for I think my endurance body hates me sometimes when I train for a half) before I can squeeze out an average pace of 6:50 min/mile for 1:29:59 for 13.1 miles instead of my PR of 1:31 (7 min/mile average). Seriously, you'd think it would be easy to drop 10 sec per mile but hey, if it was easy, everyone would do it.

Originally, I was going to do a half marathon in St. Augustine on Nov 18th but I don't feel ready. I still feel like I can make more progress so I won't rush this process. Sure, I can run 13.1 miles, but I want it to be a strong 13.1 mile run. I want to dig deep and truely, put my training to the test. That can not be done quickly so I will give it a go in December for the Jax Bank Half Marathon.

 

Earlier this week I posted a super delicious, comforting stuffed bell pepper creation on my facebook page. Per request of the Trimarni creation fans, here you go.....Enjoy!

 

Did you know 1/2 cup cooked lentils have 115 calories, 8g fiber and 9g protein? Also, 1 cup of cooked lentils can meet 90% of your daily folate needs and ~36% iron needs! Because lentils are a rich source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, they are good for both your cholesterol and digestive tract.

 

Stuffed Bell Pepper w/ lentils, tomatoes and mushrooms

Ingredients:
Lentils
Steak,vine or baby tomatoes
Mushrooms (Sliced)
Bell pepper
Cooked whole grain of your choice (I used quinoa in the bell pepper)
Cheese (I used farmers cheese)
Olive oil
Garlic clove

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cook lentils according to package on stove top (allow around 20 minutes). I used 1 cup lentils uncooked and I had lots of leftovers. Season w/ a little sea salt and pepper if you wish.
3. On baking sheet, toss mushrooms and tomatoes (whole) in a little olive oil. Season w/ your choice of herbs/spices.
4. Cut off top of green pepper (use a knife and cut around the stem) and remove. Lightly rub w/ olive oil around pepper. Place in oven and cook for ~8-12 minutes or until mushrooms and tomatoes begin to brown.
5. Fill bottom of washed pepper w/ a little cheese and pack with grain. Be sure pepper is sturdy when placed on pan.
6. Drizzle the grain w/ a little olive oil and place on separate small baking sheet (plan 1 pepper per person).
7. Carefully place pepper in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until sides of pepper begin to brown.

8. Remove from oven and on shallow dish, place pepper in center of dish.
9. Slice tomatoes and place w/mushrooms on lentils (I recommend use ~1/2 - 3/4 cup per person).
10. Sprinkle with fresh chopped garlic.

Tabouleh stir fry

In the Sept/October issue of Eatingwell there was a small article titled "Fronds with Benefits"  discussing a few veggies who have a leafy green bonus attached to the top of them. Karel likes to use celery root (the "bulb" of the celery) which is hard to find around our area (we find it at Whole Foods) which is perfect for his Czech soups and recipes, inspired by his mom. I know that celery leaves are super nutritious so I often throw them into my smoothie w/ a celery stick (to help with inflammation). Make sure when you buy the following veggies that you use the entire vegetable:

1) Radishes - radish leaves have a pungent and peppery flavor similar to arugula. A favorite in Asian cooking, they're great in a stir-fry.

2) Fennel - a staple of Greek cooking, fennel's feathery green fronds have a bold anise flavor. Use a little as an herb to season fish or gazpacho.

3) Onions - be sure to make use of the zesty green tops of mild spring onions - try them sauteed in a frittata or minced into a salad dressing.

4) Beets - fans of chard will love beet greens, which have a similar earthy, mineral flavor. Slice them thinly and add to green salads.


Today I taught a cardiac nutrition class at Baptist Medical Center Beaches which from 5:30-6:30pm. This required me to leave my house around 4:30 and after questions at the end of the class, I arrived home around 7:30pm.

As much as I love cooking, I don't like to cook later in the evening or on a hungry stomach. My interval run this morning was a toughy and I really wanted a good dinner to finish off a great day of refueling and fueling.

At 3:30pm, I prepared dinner.

Thirty minutes later, dinner was ready and I called Karel to let him know that dinner would be ready when he got home from work a little after 7pm. This is a habit that I acquired a few years ago after many times of coming home hungry and missing a vital opportunity to nourish and fuel my body with a convenient option (aka cereal). It takes a little planning and creativity but it makes for a great evening knowing that I can come home to a pre-cooked homemade meal.  Enjoy!

Tabouleh stir fry
Bulgur - prepared with olive oil, mint, parsley, garlic (to save time, buy boxed tabouleh and use 1/2 seasoning packet to reduce sodium and bulk up with salt-free herbs and spices from home)

Green bell peppers (2) - thick slices
Frozen mixed bag of onions, pepper and celery
Carrots (bagged, pre-sliced)
Onion - thick slices
Canned pineapple (in juice) - this was leftover so I added it for a nice sweetness, I used about 1/4 can without juice (I'm not afraid to be creative with my food :)
Frozen edamame
Horseradish
1/2 can diced tomatoes w/ basil and oregano
2 egg whites + 1 whole egg

1. Mix the above ingredients (except bulgur and eggs) on a large deep skillet on medium heat with a little olive oil (the water from the frozen veggies will help prevent sticking).
2. Stir occasionally until veggies are soft.
3. Add eggs and scramble in the veggie mixture (may need to add a little oil to prevent sticking unless there is enough extra water in pan from veggies).
4. Once eggs are scrambled, turn off heat and cover.
5. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. Combine tabouleh (bulgur mix) w/ stir fry mixture and enjoy!

Sauteed cabbage, onions and garlic w/ millet and arugula

 

 

 

I love to cook. I love making a meal out of food grown from the earth. I love having one idea when I start cooking and finishing with a totally different creation. I love sharing my creations with Karel and I love being proud of the food I put into my body.

 

So proud that I love taking pictures of my creations because after the meal is finished, I can still enjoy the beauty of my meal with a photo.

 

But I'll be honest. These creations are not made on a starving stomach. I believe that eating habits throughout the day, set us up for good behaviors in the evening hours. But most importantly, I want to feel better after I eat, than when I started. If we eat when we have low blood sugar or when starving, there is a large chance that we will overeat or choose quick, fast blood-sugar raising foods. Ultimately, the goal to feel great about the food we put into our body is replaced with an uncomfortable feeling that can not be undone.

 

I don't believe we can always be 100% perfect when it comes to controlling our blood sugar. There's no reason to have a "perfect" diet.  However, by listening to the body, it's easy to recognize when the body needs to eat in order to fuel the cells in the body and this allows for a consistent, quality life.

 

One helpful suggestion in enjoying a satisfying dinner meal, is to enjoy a small pre meal snack. It's up to you as to what you want to snack on but always keep in mind as to what you will be eating for dinner and how much. I firmly believe the every meal/snack should compliment the previous meal/snack or upcoming meal/snack. One should never be nervous about eating "calories" before a meal because you need calories to live, every day. It's up to you how you budget your calories and how you choose to nourish yourself.

 

If you are concerned about eating a snack before a meal consider this.....

 

A ~50-150 calorie snack may help you prepare a satisfying, nutritious dinner so that after dinner, you feel better than when you started. Thus, the 50-150 calorie snack + x- calorie dinner that you are enjoying in the evening should leave you very satisfied with little need to overindulge later in the evening. Imagine the simplicity of a less than 150 calorie snack having the ability to "save" you 200+ calories in the evening from overeating out of stress, boredom or exhaustion. This tip works very well before a pre race meal as well as eating out or at events. With a balanced diet and the ability to honor hunger with a healthy relationship with food, you should eventually find yourself enjoying the evening hours without any guilt, overwhelming feelings or negative body image.....thus allowing you to get a good night of sleep and feel rested for a fantastic tomorrow.

 

We have all heard the saying "if you aren't hungry enough to eat an apple, you aren't hungry enough." When it comes to meals, I see nothing wrong with an after meal small snack to finish off those little lingering cravings. But there is a big difference between a 300 calorie bowl of ice cream or cereal and a 40 calorie piece of dark chocolate, a tsp or two of peanut butter, 3 walnuts or a few grapes.

 

Always consider the composition of your meals for if you are focusing on a balanced, varied diet, you should not feel the need to eat  a large amount of food, 30-60 minutes after a meal. Sure, it may happen here or there but be mindful of your day and how you can "tweak" things for tomorrow. Ultimately, never be so hard on yourself that you feel you are uncapable of change. Stop the excuses and don't be afraid to try something new. A healthy lifestyle is created from consistent habits that make you feel great.

 

Here's a great tool for you to use when planning your meals (and snacks) in the diet. Source found HERE. For the Heart Wise program that I have been part of for the past few months, we teach a similar diagram, developed by the Baptist Medical Center Heart Wise team.

 

 

I hope you enjoy my latest creation! Be sure to tweak it to make sure it leaves you satisfied after you finish...and of course, yumming is encouraged as you enjoy your meals!

                Sauteed cabbage, onions and garlic w/ millet and arugula
                                

Purple cabbage (chopped, remove outer shell)
Stewed tomatoes (no salt added) canned
White onion (chopped)
Garlic (thick slices)
Veggie meat (Boca crumbles)
Millet

Arugula
Mozzarella cheese

Parsley, pepper

Olive oil
Tahini paste
Soy sauce

 

1. Preheat large skillet to medium heat.

2. Add a little oil to cover lightly the bottom of the pan and cook onions and garlic until golden brown.

3. Add a little water to lightly cover bottom of pan and add cabbage. Turn to low heat and cover.

4. Prepare Millet according to package (allow up to 30 minutes)

5. Add more water to help w/ stirring of cabbage and stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

6. When cabbage turns almost soft (take a bit, if it is super firm, continue cooking unless this meets your consistency needs), add veggie meat, a dash of soy sauce, tomatoes (I used 1/2 large can) and 1 tbsp tahini paste. Stir well.

7. After 2-3 minutes, turn off heat and add seasonings to your liking (parsley, pepper, etc.)

8. Prepare your plate w/ 1 serving millet in shallow dish and combine w/ large serving of cabbage mixture (plan for leftovers!). Toss in bowl and top w/ arugula and cheese.

 

Recommended pre meal snack: 1/4 -1/3 cup Daisy cottage cheese + small orange or pineapple chunks.

 

 

Tips on consistent training & Sunshine tempeh, squash and mango stir-fry

Wow - 26 days until Branson 70.3. My body is feeling great and Karel is also feeling strong... but we still have about two more weeks to make some more serious performance gains.
This weekend we will visit my parents and ride/train on the hills in San Antonio (Dade City, Florida) to get our legs ready for the challenging 56 mile bike course in Missouri. Plus, Campy misses his grandparents and the "resort-style" living.

Can we say "What a life?"

On Tuesday, I posted on my Facebook page about my tips for achieving consistency w/ training and racing. On a personal note, I'm having my best season ever but I will admit that it's hard to think outside the box, especially when there are so many opinions as to how to train for triathlons. I may have a background in exercise physiology and exercise science and I may be a dietitian, specializing in sport nutrition but no amount of credentials can make it any easier to not overthink training (aka overtrain). Sure, we all know what we should be doing and the right thing to do (and when too much is too much) but, if you are competitive with yourself, like to train or have goals related to your performance, it's easy to always think about those who are better than you and compare yourself to them. Perhaps you should be thinking about those who may be looking up to you - impressed with what you are able to accomplish on a daily basis to meet your own personal goals.

On race day, I'm out to race my competition, not a time. With the trained body that I have on race day, I challenge myself to race amongst those who are better trained than me and I will be proud to race among those who see me as someone who pushes them to train harder. We all race for different reasons.....but we all reach the same finishing line.

One of the hardest things for an athlete-in-training is to be aware of "the now" but to consider the future. Who cares what other athletes are doing - you are racing your own race. To help you have a quality racing and training season, here are my tips to find balance and consistency w/ your training:
1) Get a massage and stretch before you badly need it.
2) Fuel consistently during workout, befo...

re you feel tired and fatigued.
3) Prioritize nutrition before and after workouts, before you find yourself struggling with recovery.
4) Prioritize your nutrition throughout the day to compliment your intense/long daily training regime rather than obsessing about your intake on your "off" or lighter days.
5) Don't strive for a race weight but rather a strong body that will perform optimally by x-day.
6) Don't wait until taper to feel "normal" again, find balance now.
7) Don't "rest" an injury/pain after a workout, address normal vs not normal aches on a daily basis.
8) Don't view your training as train hard and "rest" unintentionally when you need it. Consider intentional rest days long before you actually need them.
9) Respect and thank your body for what it allow you to do on a daily basis.
10) Have fun and inspire others.

 

With less than 4 weeks until race day, you'd imagine that our focus is to train hard....it's crunch time. Yes, we are still training hard BUT the focus now is on reaping every tiny, little gain we can achieve within every single training session. For the magic has been happening over the past 2 months....we have nothing to prove to ourselves in this last peak of training - nor will we give it are all in training. For we belive in saving our best performance for race day.

 

How can we do that but still gain performance and race strong on race day and meet body composition goals? Train hard, recover harder.

More rest, more sleep, more active recovery. More emphasis on the weekends when we have more time to recover (that is, when Karel isn't working on Sunday's and for me...I'm always working :) ) and more recovery (less volume) during the week. The intensity will stay through taper but with more recovery comes more energy, more consistency and more power.

 

I don't train my body to burn calories. I don't focus on what I "can't" eat (according to others).

I fuel. I train hard. I recover. I have fun.

 

I'm loving the challenge of "thinking outside the box" and I can't wait until race day!

 

So, on to another delicious creation.

I'll be honest, some days I just don't feel like cooking. But give me a pre-meal snack like a few baby carrots and some peanuts to chomp on as I am feeding our house full of animals (and fishies) and before I know it, I'm thinking of another creation to fuel my lifestyle. Knowing that a "meal" will leave me satisfied and well-fueled, I decided that the dreary weather was not going to affect my cooking so in honor of the random hurricane Issac rain showers (thankfully, we were not hit), I hope this creation brings sunshine to your belly.....Enjoy!

Sunshine tempeh, squash and mango stir-fry

Ingredients (for ~2 people + a little leftovers):

Mushrooms (container)

Tempeh (cubed, 1 package) - or your choice of protein

1 can roasted tomatoes (no salt added)

Squash (1 large yellow, thinly sliced)

Corn (~1 cup)

Black beans (~1.5 cups, rinsed and drained)

Mango (~1/2 cup cubed)

Whole grains (~1 cup or 1/2 cup per person)

Dark greens of your choice (spinach above)

Farmers cheese

Olive oil

Seasonings: chili pepper, cumin, curry powder

1. Recommend having protein and whole grain option prepared ahead of time.
2. Heat non stick skillet to medium heat and drizzle w/ olive oil.
3. Cook mushrooms, corn, squash until veggies are lightly golden.
4. Add black means, tomatoes (spoon out rather than pour) and mango and stir until combined.
5. Add protein and cook on low for a few minutes, stir occasionally.
6. Add spices and toss. Turn off heat.
7. Plate greens in shallow bowl. Top w/ heaping scoop(s) of veggie/tempeh mixture and sprinkle w/ whole grains. Top w/ cheese.

Eggplant and squash casserole - worth the 45 minutes!

 

First off, it's time for a day in the life of Campy.....

 

Focused and deep in thought......

 

 

10 minutes later, Campy has a new record. Another doggy stuffed animal in need of surgery and re-stuffing. Noted - the tag is still on.

 

 

 

I've been sharing lots of yummy creations on my Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition Facebook page so if you need a little inspiration as to what to create for breakfast, lunch of dinner, be sure to LIKE my page. I also share lots of articles, quotes and motivating results from my Trimarni coaching and nutrition athletes so I highly recommend checking out my page as my goal is to help others find balance between diet and exercise. (Thanks if you already LIKE the page!)

 

 

Eggplant and squash casserole

 

I shared this pic on Facebook last week and I promise, it tastes as good as it looks. This would be a great dish for the kiddos to help with and this makes great leftovers (combine a handful of spinach w/ leftovers and heat the next day at work). There are layers of flavors, filled with wonderful nutrients. One of the best parts about having a balanced lifestyle is having the time to prepare wholesome meals at home, which enhance our lifestyle. I believe to achieve balance in life, you need to sit down and stop thinking about what others are doing but rather, think about your own life and how much time you can devote to training/exercise without it affecting other areas in your life. When I think about my days during the week, I'm conscious of the time needed for meal prep (I always bring my lunch to work) as well as how much time I need per night to have a restful night of sleep. This is in addition to time spent at work at the hospital and with my business, my time spent on recovery (Ex. nutrition, stretching, etc. to keep me consistent w/ my training and healthy w/ activities of daily living) as well as any other time during during the week that helps me achieve balance. Even though this meal takes 45 minutes to cook, I wasn't sitting around starving and waiting for my dinner meal.

I always recommend having a pre-dinner snack such as a few nuts, a side salad, a little protein or a small piece of fruit or veggies - all depending on what you have for your meal. Let your snacks compliment your meals.

Secondly, multi-task. I like to use my oven when I'm really busy so I can stick the meal in the oven and forget about it as I do things around the house, do emails, etc. Just don't forget to start pre-heating the oven as soon as you can so when you finish your meal prep, your oven will be ready for cooking.

 

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant (sliced)
1 large yellow squash (sliced)
1/2 container firm tofu (crumbled)
1/2 large onion (Sliced)
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
Mushrooms (1 container)
Yellow sweet peppers
1 can Hunts no-salt added stewed whole tomatoes
Leftover rice or grains (I used basmati rice)
Olive oil
Seasonings: Basil, parsley, marjoram, chili flakes, pepper
Farmers Cheese (or ricotta)
**Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees

 

1. Lightly spray bottom of glass casserole dish w/ non stick spray. Layer eggplant on bottom, don't overlap.

2. Crumble tofu on eggplant, then layer w/ squash.

3. Spread onions (allow a few for the top layer), mushrooms and yellow pepper and a handful rice/whole grains on squash and then crumble a little farmers cheese on top of each squash.

4. Lightly spread tomatoes on squash/onions. Sprinkle w/ seasonings (listed above or your choice - a pinch of each evenly all over)

5. Finish w/ layer of eggplant and a few onions. Drizzle w/ olive oil.

6. Bake for around 40-50 minutes or until eggplant begins to brown on top.

 

 

ENJOY!!!

 

 

 

Eating "naturally" - it's not a diet fad

NATURAL
You read it on a box of food and you hear people telling you to eat "naturally" but in terms of this blog post:
Natural - listen and trust your body. 
In looking at the performances of the Olympic athletes, it not hard to overlook the machine that powers great performances. Not sure about you, but I see strength. I don't see skinny.

This is something that I strive for in my eating style and that I challenge my athletes (both coaching and nutrition) to consider when changing dietary habits. It's not about restriction or the freedom to eat whatever you want but rather, having a "prescription" as to how you eat, what you eat and why you eat....in a non-obessive, non-restrictive and balanced way. It's not about eating without limits or eating in a strict manner - it's all about prioritizing the nutrition around workouts (I call that "sport nutrition") and knowing what will make you feel energized and satisfied throughout the day, all to enhance overall health.

Allowing yourself the freedom to eat whatever you want may seem overwhelming as if you will overindulge and not reach diet, body, health or performance goals. But, when the focus is off a number on a scale and rather on your body in motion and how it performs throughout the day, there is an endless amount of freedom as to how you will see your diet and what foods will help you feel alive and well.

Life isn't about depriving yourself of food that can enhance your lifestyle. Don't let your diet or food control you.

As you think about the food in your diet and how it makes you feel as you are eating it, consider the nutrients that will allow you to have great performances as you are training/exercising.

An appropriate quote for this yummy creation.....
“Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” - Albert Einstein

This bowl of yumminess left me so satisfied...it was one of the best meals to enjoy as we watched the olympics last night. Super simple as well...

Buy one get one free - 2 bags of frozen veggies

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 container tofu (extra firm)

Seasonings - curry, parsley, marjoram, cumin, pepper

Asiago cheese

Bagel chips (from Bagel World - love these! 1 bag of "old" bagels, made into chips for just a few bucks!)

Olive oil

1. In large deep pot, cover bottom with just a little water and empty bags of veggies into pot.

2. Cook on medium heat (slighty under), covered until veggies are steamed.

3. Microwave beans for 1 minute, until slightly warm.

4. When veggies begin to soften, break tofu into large cubes with your hands and stir gently into veggies.

5. After around 10-12 minutes or when veggies ae cooked, add seasonings. Recommend to keep water in pot for tofu to soak up the nutrients lost in the steaming process.

6. Add seasonings and stir. Leave covered for a few minutes as you are getting your bowl ready.

7. Spoon a serving of beans in your bowl, then add veggie mixture. Combine with a few bagel chips (or you can use whole grain crackers) and a cheese that will make your taste buds happy.

8. Drizzle with olive oil to help absorb the vitamins in the veggie mixture.

Optional - top with seeds. I had some pumpkin seeds (not pictured) that I added at the end.

Smart with leftovers and frozen veggies

In case you missed my latest article from LAVA online, I hope you enjoy this article on Zinc and the yummy amaranth custard that I created to help boost your immune system (and recover from training).

Plate not pills: ZINC

Since I will be at the hospital all day on Monday, I thought I'd leave you with a few good reads that I have discovered via the facebook:

Chariots of fries - McDonald's and the Olympics

Olympic athletes and high calorie diets to support activity

Strength training as a family affair

The other day I had an athlete email me for suggestions on quick meals to eat on the go.

Stop there, I thought to myself.

As busy, active individuals, we often try to make our diet work for our lifestyle. But if you think about it, without proper intake of food and water, we would not be able to function very well in life.

Often a disconnect as to how individuals view the diet. Perhaps, instead, we should address the priorities in life and why we feel it is necessary to eat in the car, skip meals, eat at the computer screen, have snacks from a vending machine, eat bars and drink bottles of calories for meals and sit in a line to order a meal through a window.

I understand that we are all busy but to allow yourself 30 minutes at minimum to eat, is something that should be prioritized in your daily life, 3 times a day. For rewarding yourself with enough time to savour your meal, will not only help you with your nutrition journey but you will also find yourself tasting your food rather than just swallowing it - in a hurry to get to the next task/place on hand.

The other day I made a quick stir-fry, thanks to leftovers and some frozen veggies.

In a large skillet, I cooked a bag of mixed frozen veggies, bag of peppers and onions and bag of mushrooms, in a little olive oil.

I had a bag of kale that I used to toss into my stir-fry for some deep color and flavor and like usual, I spiced things up with lots of herbs and spices for antioxidants.

For my protein, I scrambled some eggs. Super simple or you can tofu, beans, legumes or tempeh.

I always try to keep whole grains (cooked) in the 'fridge so this time I had millet which has a plain taste but is delicious in a stir-fry.

To add some flavor, I spooned a little tomato soup in the stir-fry- Karel made soup the other night and had a little left which was just calling my name in a stir-fry.

As usual - I love cheese for the flavor so I topped with some bold asiago cheese (not pictured) and drizzled with olive oil.

Enjoy!

Whewww. What a weekend

I remember a while back when I use to think of the week as 5 days + 2 days. It was easy to look forward to the weekend, whether it was to train, relax, eat..whatever. But one thing I've learned over the years is that a week that becomes chunky, is simply a rushed week. Life rushes by super quickly and I find it important to enjoy every day you are given. Your life, your actions, your results.

Since Thurs (or late Wed evening), Karel has been enjoying himself in the mountains of North Carolina with a few of his friends.

Yep - he left me and Campy at home and from the looks of it, he is really roughin' it :)

But not to worry - Campy got in some quality training and a little vitamin D as I stretched outside...sporting my new Oakley Women Changoever shades

Saturday morning was an early start with a 3 mile run.

A little change to the normal bike + run, Karel had me running first and right after, getting on my bike for some tempo intervals.

It was an akward feeling to run first but I always enjoy a change in the schedule. The workout looked easy on paper but because the zones were low in intensity, I just couldn't seem to hold them steady.  Maybe my ego got in the way this morning as it is always hard to hold back when you know you can push harder.I suppose Karel is slowly teaching me more about pacing as that is something I continue to struggle with on the bike....but always a work in progress.

2:30 bike

Main set:

2 x 8 min Z4 w/ 2 min EZ

15 min upper Z3 w/ 4 min EZ

18 min mid Z3 w/ 4 min EZ

22 min low Z3 w/ 4 min EZ

20 min low Z3 w/ 4 min EZ

Rest of the ride Z2.

Then off for another run and wow - was it hot out!!

6 miles. 2 mile warm-up. Then 3 miles descending (7:29, 7:18, 7:10). Then cool down.

Lucky for Campy, he got two mini runs this morning....I love having him as a training partner!

Sunday morning was another early start and another new change in my routine.

Karel has been running with the Turtle Run group at Atlantic Beach on Sun mornings for the past two weekends so he encouraged me to go to my first ever group run.

I was excited and not nervous but certainly, a group run at 6:30am on a Sunday made for an early 4:50am wake-up on the weekend.

I ran with Jeff and 2 other guys and although most of the run was conversational, it was certainly a run that kept me at the top of my comfort zone.

Total time: 1:40
Pace: 7:49 min/mile (woah baby - can't do that alone!)

Distance: 12.88
average HR: 140 beats

Splits per mile: 7:45, 7:31, 7:39, 7:41, 7:53, 7:52, 7:53, 7:35, 7:27. Cool down: 8:03, 8:04, 8:06, 7:08 (for last .88 mile)

After the run, I got on my bike for a necessary recovery spin. 1 hour and a speedy 14.8 mile per hour average :)

After the morning workout, I had the pleasure of having a late pancake breakfast w/ my friend/co-worker Susan who is having her baby this week (I will be filling in for her at Baptist Beaches during her maternity leave).

While I was making dinner (or whatever you want to call a meal around 4pm), I was thinking to myself about the yumminess that was about to enter my body. Rather than seeing the food as "fuel" or as something "healthy"...it occured to me that my lifestyle was effectively using the food that I was putting nto my body. Because I am nourishing my body, I am able to live the active life that I crave on a daily basis. Perhaps we can all start taking a more proactive approach to living a more balaned life.

Starch: 1 sweet potato (microwaved)

Veggies: broccoli (steamed), red pepper, corn, onions, garlic, kale
Protein: Tempeh
Whole grain: Millet (prepared ahead of time)
Oil: Olive oil
Seasonings: marjaram, chili powder, pepper, parsley

1. In a large skillet, sautee veggies (except kale) and tempeh on medium heat in olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pan, lightly.)

2. When veggies begin to brown, add kale and toss in a little more olive oil.

3. Turn off heat when kale begins to wilt a little and add seasonings.

4. Place serving of millet in a shallow dish, add veggie mixture and chopped sweet potato pieces (I made lots to have leftovers for tomorrow so I used 1/2 sweet potato and saved the other half for tomorrow).
It's ok to yum out loud when you eat this. Campy was confused as I ate this...way too much yumming.

Salad Pizza - YUM!

Sunday morning was a toughy.
Karel kicked my butt...more like, he made my butt work hard!!

On my Training Peaks schedule, Karel had "Brick with Karel" .That's it and I didn't ask questions. When I train with Karel, I've learned that to be mentally strong, I have to be willing to try to stay on Karel's wheel and with that, I can't psyche myself out before the workout starts.

On Saturday, after Karel's race, I did a Z2 3- hour endurance ride just to loosen my legs from one of my toughest long runs, on Friday (10.5 miles). I had no intentions to run on Saturday for I wanted as much recovery as possible before Sunday's workout.

At 6:30am, we were out the door. Karel said he was a little sore but he was glad he had the day off on Saturday from work, to recover from the intense effort of the sprint triathlon. Although it was only a sprint, it was an all out max effort for one hour. I think many people downplay the stress on the body for a sprint or Olympic distance race and overlook the changes with the diet, altered sleep and recovery that comes with racing. For even if it is "only" a 1-2 hour race, the body still suffers and with that, always be mindful of how you choose to reward it or punish it after a race.

After a 35 min. warm-up, it was time for the main set.
2 x 8 min Z4 w/ 2 min recovery
4 min EZ
15 min upper Z3 w/ 4 min recovery
2 x 22 min upper Z3 w/ 4 min recovery

And the surprise at the end, just when I thought I had suffered enough on Karel's wheel,
2 x 8 min Z4 w/ 2 min recovery
Z2 ABP (Always be pushing) effor on the way home

I couldn't believe it but I made the entire set (with a great attitude) and felt super strong. I've finally dialed down my nutrition at this point in my training, for as I become stronger and more efficient, I know I need to be mindful of how I am fueling before and during my workouts. I have no problem recoverying from workouts for I believe I recover really fast thanks to a wheyprotein smoothie and cereal or milk + carb-rich breakfast (w/ protein).
Pre training I had oats, milk and banana slices with a few pecans. I have noticed that this combo sits better in me when I don't cook the oats so I have been eating it cold and it tastes delicious. Oh, I always have cinnamon with my breakfast - or anytime I can sneak it in for fantastic flavor. YUM!

We did a big loop, starting from our place and then through Nocatee, over the bridge, to A1A, to the Vilano bridge into St. Augustine area then back toward home on Philips Hwy/US 1. It was a bit cloudy out so that helped but it didn't make the workout any easier.

Stats from Karel's ride and me suffering behind him on his wheel....
2:42 total time
58.71 miles
Average speed: 21.71mph
Main set:
8 min - 24mph, power 162, HR 134 (my HR and my power - I just stayed behind Karel as he stuck to his zones and my workout was steady because of that)
8 min - 23.61 mph, power 171, HR 135
15 min - 23.69 mph (OMG - it was SO windy on A1A with a tough cross wind making it SO hard to draft), power 175, HR 141
22 min - 22.57 mph, power 162, HR 139
22 min - 23.17 mph, power 162, HR 137
8 min - 25.25 mph, power 168, HR 140
8 min - 24.72 mph, power 176,HR 140

Certainly, I can not hold those speeds alone but riding with Karel (who is really steady) only makes me stronger. As for being able to push a high power during my rides (not being able to sustain those watts on my own for this entire workout), when I draft there are microseconds here and there where I can recover so that helps vs pushing alone and not being able to take a breather here or there in an interval.

Karel was really impressed that I was able to stay on his wheel after each interval but as the workout went on, my responses of "I'm ok" turned into the look of "are we done yet?". But, I kept telling myself "Marni - this is doable! The bigger question is DO you want to DO this!". Thinking back to all the workouts in the past that I was not able to survive with Karel, I was ready to not give up and to just give my best effort. Thankfully, my best effort lead to one of my best workouts.

After the bike.....came the run.
Again, the look of "uggg, do we have to?" but Karel assured me that it was a conversational run. Once we started running, a mile ticked by with us chatting about training, races and how much we both wanted pizza for dinner.
It was super hot out but we managed to have a quality run to finish a really great morning of training.

Stats from run:
36 minutes
4.55 miles
Pace: 7:57
(last 1/2 mile w/ Campy)
Mile 1: 7:45
Mile 2: 7:48
Mile 3: 7:59
Mile 4: 8:00


Karel had to work 12-4 and I was on the computer all afternoon with training plans and nutrition for my athletes/fitness enthusiasts. It was a tiring day but I couldn't wait for our yummy dinner.

No food after tough training or a race makes me happier than Pizza.

It's all too often that I hear athletes say "I deserved it or I earned it". In my mind, you can have pizza or x-food anytime you want. For you need calories to survive on a daily basis, so it is up to you how you want to divide them out.

But for most of us, we'd agree that some days food tastes better than on other days and certainly, pizza is one of those foods.

In learning to develop a healthier relationship with food, I invite you all to learn how to speak about food more kindly and respectfully. For beating yourself up with every bite of food is no way to enjoy food. As we were enjoying local pizza, topped with my assortment of roasted veggies (eggplant, onions, peppers, broccoli, mushrooms and not pictured, tofu, pineapple and beans), it wasn't the pizza that was making me happy but rather the entire experience. Watching the Tour de France with Karel (and Campy), tasting each flavor in the "salad" pizza and talking about our morning workout and how I felt so strong. A few years ago, I was not able to even think about riding with Karel. Certainly, my two slices of pizza topped with my beautiful selection of veggies were enjoyed with every bite and I only had good feelings, thoughts and emotions as I refueled with Karel (we both had a smoothie post workout and a large glass of water with a splash of OJ and 1 hammer FIZZ).

I have been hearing a lot of people say "I don't eat that" and that makes me concerned as to how that resonates to other. For if you hear me say "I don't eat that" and I am referring to meat, well you may think "meat is bad" or "off limit" if you didn't know I was a 19 -year vegetarian. Perhaps you are on your journey of developing a quality lifestyle and regardless of your fitness status or weight, you enjoy a slice or two of pizza (on any given day) with a friend, loved one or family member. Having someone tell you "I don't eat that"  could make you question your food choice, your goals and your body. There's so much wrapped up in food that if we could all just speak about food a little nicer, maybe we could all have a healthier relationship with food and feel more confidence about our food choices.

Regardless of where you are in your journey, there is no reason to justify your eating. You only cheat on your diet if you have rules, lists and restrictions..and that's no fun, who wants that?

Own your choices and be proud of your choices. Belive it or not, sometimes pizza is just the best thing that you can eat to reward your body when it needs to refuel. And boy, does it taste great when you can put a quality workout  in the memory bank!

My "Salad' pizza. Local cheese pizza topped with my own selection of roasted veggies. I saved a lot of money by buying local and it was filled with flavor (and nutrient density).

Couscous...I've missed you!

First off, is it possible to have too many pics of Campy sleeping. This ranks high with the dozens of other pics that I have of Campy sleeping....he just makes my heart melt with happiness. Karel says that I have too many pics of campy sleeping...I say, not enough!

Secondly, how amazing is this quote?
"Welcome every morning with a smile. Look on the new day as another special gift from your Creator, another golden opportunity to complete what you were unable to finish yesterday. Be a self-starter. Let your first hour set the theme of success and positive action that is certain to echo through your entire day. Today will never happen again. Don't waste it with a false start or no start at all. You were not born to fail.”
-Og Mandino


Today was one of those rushed dinner days. Despite working at home, I had several wonderful phone calls with my Trimarni nutrition athletes (glad to see athletes dedicating energy to daily and sport nutrition, just like they do with their training/fitness), updating Training Peaks for my coaching athletes and catching up on emails from working at the hospital all day yesterday. When it was time for me to start preparing dinner, I decided to multi-task as I needed to do a little housework.

Perfect night for the oven and microwave!

Couscous in the microwave, kale, cauliflower and sweet and white potatoes in the oven.

30 minutes later....a clean(er) house and a yummy dinner meal. Enjoy my latest creation that is sure to keep your tummy happy, especially after a workout that leaves you too tired to "cook".

Couscous creation

Couscous - cook according to package/box and season to your liking and add chopped walnuts. For a sweeter couscous, add dried cranberries or chopped apples, peaches or apricots

Cauliflower - steam in microwave, then toss in olive oil on baking sheet. Season with chili pepper, pinch of sea salt and parsley flakes.

Kale - bagged chopped Kale, toss in olive oil on baking sheet and season with a pinch of sea salt and pepper

Potatoes - cube sweet and white potatoe. Toss in olive oil and season with chili powder and pepper.
*additional - top any item with feta cheese or chopped brick spicy or sharp cheddar cheese.

Asparagus, zucchini and mushroom quiche

Some people eat for health, some for weight loss, some for performance, some for religion and/or ethics, some out of convenience and price and some for body composition. Then there are those who eat for a combination of reasons. Primarily, I believe that both health and performance/fitness should be the driving forces for choosing the foods that we choose to put into our body. For if you are providing your body with a variety of nutrients to support optimal health and reduce risk for disease, it is likely that your performance will improve because metabolic processes will be supported by a good balance of vitamins and minerals. If you are energized by efficient metabolism, you will likely be able to take your training to the next level (or fitness routine) and thus, body composition changes will become evident. Ultimately, when you find that right balance between diet and exercise, your body will become an efficient machine.

With so many rules as to when you can eat and how much, sometimes the easiest way to adopt more heart-healthy habits is to prioritize health over body composition. For some, don't worry - the weight will come off if you aspire to reach a healthy weight. For others, those who seek body composition changes for performance, perhaps it is most important that your training and recovery routine allows for consistent training to increase lean muscle mass and an efficient use of fuels prior to wanting to change everything in your diet. But when eating for health, you will find yourself wanting to gravitate toward more whole, quality foods packed with nutrition, rather than becoming obsessed with calories, grams and percentages....oh, and all that "bad" food that everyone is telling you not to eat. Bad food? Not in my food vocabulary.

To tell a person that they can only have 2 snacks a day and can not eat past 7:30pm would be silly if that person was seeking fruits and veggies for snacks. However, if the 2nd afternoon snack was a candy bar and the 9pm snack was a bowl of ice cream or bag of chips, more often than not it will be more beneficial to a person to make heart-healthy substititions rather than trying to eliminate the calorie-dense choices altogether (aka "go cold turkey"). By focusing on food for the prime reason that it helps nourish our body, it becomes quite simple to prioritize certain foods that you know will provide your body with a variety of nutrients. Once you create this wonderful foundation, there becomes a lot more wiggly room when it comes to enjoying occasional treats and not feeling so overwhelmed by the many food products available to consumers.

When reading my latest issue of Environmental Nutrition (march 2012, volune 35, Number 3), I read a great article titled "Cancer-fighting Plant Foods". I found it odd that it said "plant-foods" and not just "Cancer-fighting foods". Perhaps the emphasis on plant foods was to remind the reader that plant foods have a host of powerful properties, beyond just being "low cal" (which is often why people choose to eat them when "dieting". Particularly the ability to safeguard you against cancer, I think we should give a bit more credit to fruits and veggies. Whereas at one time, if you were eating a salad people would say "oh, are you on a diet?" I believe that a satisfying, balanced salad or plant-strong meal is simply a pro-active measure of increasing your chance of a quality-filled life (both in terms of fitness and health).

While you may not know (or need to know) the exact science of food in the body, I find it all very interesting. Perhaps my 6 years of higher education in Exercise science and Exercise physiology opened my eyes to an exciting field of how nutrition affects the body during exercise. But squeeze in my 3 years of education to become a RD and my current job as a clinical dietitian in a hospital, I have a very large appreciation for food and how it affects our body on a daily basis.

Printed in my latest issue of Environmental Nutrition,
Nutrients, Fiber and Phytochemicals help fight against cancer
The latest research suggests that food choices can fight cancer development at many different stages:
1) Nutrients - such as folate from dark green vegetables, oranges and legumes (beans, tofu) and phytochemicals (compounds found in plant foods), such as allyl sulfur found in garlic, and isothiocyanates, found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, help turn on tumor suressor genes and turn off genes that lead to cancer development and its ability to spread.
2) Healthy bacteria in your gut use dietary fiber and resistant starch (a type of fiber abundant in dried beans) to produce butyrate, a fatty acid that seems to protect colon cells.
3) Some phytochemicals stimulate inactivation of carcinogens or self-destruction of abnormal cells.
4) Phytochemicals can provide antioxidant protection against DNA damage and fight inflammation.

Every year I make breakfast for dinner on Valentines day, for Karel and myself. This year I wanted to do something besides French Toast or Pancakes (two of our favorites) so I decided to look inside my 'fridge to see what ingredients I could put together.

I called my mom when I was pulling out ingredients for the meal and I told her about my idea to make a brown rice crust. She asked "Where did you come up with that idea?" and I said "In my head...like every creation I make."

There are so many different ways you can use the same ingredients in my quiche and make your own plant-strong creation. Never lose sight of not only enjoying what you put in your body but also the "work" that goes into making a fabulous "insert-name" creation.

Enjoy!

Asparagus, zucchini and mushroom quiche w/ brown rice crust

Crust:
1/2 cup brown rice (cooked)
1 tbsp part-skim ricotta
1 whole egg, 1 egg white
Pepper, cumin seeds, chili powder

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a glass casserole dish with non-stick spray or coat with oil.
2. Scramble all ingredients in bowl and pour into dish.
3. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until crust is brown on edges and firm to the touch.
4. Turn down oven to 350-degrees.

Quiche
4 large mushrooms (sliced)
1 small zucchini (sliced)
2 large roma tomatoes
1/2 medium onion sliced
1 large clove garlic (sliced)
8-10 spears asparagus (cooked and chopped)
Spinach (handful)
4 eggs (1 whole, 3 whites)
1/8 cup skim milk + 1-2 tbsp
1/4 cup shredded cheese (either as a topping or inside quiche)

1. In large bowl, combine all ingredients (except onions) and mix well. Add additional 1-2 tbsp milk if you can't seem to wet all of the ingredients. The liquid should not be higher than the veggies. The eggs will rise in the pan to form a quiche so it's ok if the veggies are not submerged in liquid.
*Tip: if you are wanting to make this for kids or someone who is not a big fan of veggies (yet :) ), use the cheese as a topping as seeing the cheese will make the meal look more exciting rather than mixing in the cheese.
2. Pour mixture on crust and press down firmly. Sprinkle onions on top.
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until egg mixture is firm.