Carrot Ginger Soup & Celery (in your) smoothie

Julia Child was fearless and creative in the kitchen. If there was one person I wish I had the opportunity to meet, passed away or alive, it would be Julia Child. I could not think of a cooler experience than being in the kitchen with Julia Child and then yumming over a meal with her.


She had this special gift of helping people feel comfortable in the kitchen. And no matter your cooking skills, she made cooking easy and fun no matter the recipe or food.

I have been challenging myself in the kitchen by making homemade soups. I sure do love Amy's Organic soups but my New Year resolution was challenging myself more with recipes. And since I am not one for resolutions, I started this challenge a few weeks before the New Year.

I found this recipe on the Whole Foods Market website and actually followed the entire recipe. I'm not giving up my creativeness in the kitchen as I am not one to follow a recipe or all the ingredients included but I gave this one a go and it came out great!

Don't be afraid in your kitchen. As Julia Child would agree, don't just eat, enjoy your cooking experience!

CARROT GINGER SOUP

• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 1 pound carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

             Method: 

Heat 1/2 cup broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in ginger, carrots, potato and remaining broth and heat to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. In batches, carefully puree in a blender. Add water or broth if needed to thin to desired consistency. Reheat soup if necessary. Stir in lemon juice and garnish with chives.

               Nutritional Info: 

Per Serving:130 calories (5 from fat), 0g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 220mg sodium,28g carbohydrate (5g dietary fiber, 9g sugar), 3g protein

And speaking of being creative.... smoothie-making has no limits! 

It may not be your first choice for a smoothie ingredient but let me tell you how much nutrition you add to your smoothie by adding a stalk or two (chopped) to your smoothie.

You may think it's a "diet" food and has no flavor but celery is perfect for a body in motion.

It adds fiber, potassium, natural sugars and sodium, vitamin A and Calcium and it also acts as a natural anti-inflammatory!

It does not have a strong taste in your smoothie but certainly if you aren't use to this ingredient in your smoothie, you may taste it at first. But, once you learn to appreciate it's powerhouse of nutrients, you will never leave it out of your next smoothie creation. 

Happy Valentine's day smoothie

Strawberry chocolate ginger smoothie

Ingredients
30g protein powder (grams are protein amount. Vegan, soy or whey protein are fine).

1/2 tsp chopped ginger
1 large celery stick (chopped)
5 baby carrots
1/2 cup organic soy milk (or your choice of milk)
Dash of cinnamon
5 coffee beans (optional)
1 square dark chocolate (I used Ghirardelli 86% Cacao)

4 pineapple chunks
4 large strawberries
1/2 banana

1 tbsp chia seeds
3/4 cup water
1 cup ice cubes

1. Place ingredients in blender (except protein) and blend until ice is crushed. 

2. Add protein powder and blend until you reach your consistency needs (the longer you blend, the more volume you will make for a thicker smoothie). 

3. Optional - top with a little granola for a crunch in your glass.

Serves 2 people (16 ounces each person)
I recommend to treat this as a "meal" per person. This is a great way to recover from a workout or to just enjoy a smoothie as a balanced, wholesome meal, filled with flavor, vitamins, minerals and quality macronutrients. 

source

Happy Valentine's Day!!

You are an amazing, inspiring, hard working, motivating and passionate athlete or fitness enthusiast!!

Don't forget to thank your body today as you spread love to others. 

Broccoli and tempeh ginger stir-fry

It's no fun coming home hungry after a long day/commute, evening workout or late meetings and feeling the pressure to cook. 

We all have crammed-packed schedules but even if you want more hours in the day to get everything done, you'd likely fill-up those hours as well. Rather then beating yourself up that you are failing on certain areas of you life that may improve your overall health, remind yourself that regardless if you find the time or make the time, you do have time that you may not be using wisely and nothing is more important to your busy life than keeping your body in good health.

You know a home cooked meal will make you feel great inside and with you in control of the portions, ingredients and timing, there is a lot to benefit from when it comes to preparing food at home.  So the hope is that when you make small changes with your diet and keep them up, you will feel the effects of those changes and not only form new healthy habits but you may also feel so good that you are even more motivated to change other areas of your life to feel even better.  

The next time you are about to sit down at home to relax, watch TV, fold laundry, clean, get on the computer, call your family or do anything that my take 30 min or longer, STOP before you get going on whatever you are about to do and head to the kitchen. 

One of the best investments to your health is having a plan when it comes to eating real food. But in order to implement that plan, you have to have food at home to prep for upcoming meals. 

Here are some options: chop, cook, grill, steam, bake.  

Whatever you can do in 30 min, consider it 30 min that you don't have to spend on food prep later that day (or next day). 

A few options: 
-Cook 2 types of whole grains per week (I recommend plan 1 cup dry of each grain so you have enough to last for a few meals) on your stove top
-Chop veggies and fruit so you have a salad bar of tupperware in your refrigerator
-Buy frozen veggies for easy steaming or microwaving
-Bake proteins in the oven which require no attendance until they are finished cooking
-Use your crock pot for stews/soups/chili's (large) or oatmeal, beans, lentils (small)
-Hard boil eggs (1 for each day)
-Have go-to options for a quick, easy meal when you feel overwhelmed with life (Ex. yogurt, fruit and granola parfait or potato w/ Greek yogurt and steamed veggies drizzled with olive oil) or bagged lettuce with cottage cheese, fruit and pumpkin seeds on top)


                            

Broccoli and tempeh ginger stir-fry

3 cups broccoli (fresh or frozen) - steam until cooked
1 package tempeh (chopped)
2 small baked potatoes (cooked in microwave and then chopped)

1 leek (washed and chopped)
1/8 cup peanuts
Olive oil (2 tbsp olive oil)
1 tbsp ginger (chopped, skin removed)
Rice vinegar (2-4 tbsp)
Water
Wok
Turmeric, pepper
Optional: top with greek yogurt, salsa or shredded cheese.

1. On medium heat, add 1/2 tbsp olive oil and cooked tempeh until golden brown (5-8 minutes) - toss as needed. 

2. Add 1/2 tbsp olive oil and add potatoes, broccoli, leek and ginger. 

3. Turn heat to low and add 2 tbsp rice vinegar (may want to turn on your vent on your stove at this time). Stir to combine. 

4. Add 2-3 tbsp water and additional olive oil/rice vinegar as needed if creation starts to stick to bottom of your pan. 

5. Toss well, add seasonings of your choice and cover for 5 minutes. 

6. Add peanuts, toss and serve. 

Trimarni Chiachoco heart-healthy mix

 

I love public speaking but I do not like to give talks to hungry bellies or to bodies with low blood sugar.

 

So, it's typical that when I give a talk on nutrition/sport nutrition/healthy living, that a Trimarni creation will be involved.

 

I'm giving a talk on my top 3 tips for to immediately improve overall health. The talk is in Orlando on 2/6/14 for the Lenscrafters Summit 2014 on behalf of Oakley Women. The talk will be at Caribe Royale and I am super excited to share my latest Trimarni creation.

 

I needed a little help with the name so I asked my followers on Instagram (@Trimarni) and Facebook to help me out. The responses were so creative!!!

 

-Breakfast of Champions

-A taste of heaven

-Maui mix

-Coconut mocha mix

-Cocochi

-Trimarni energy mix

-Trimarni snack mix

-HG4C trail mix

-TM's Bazinga! trail mix

-Trimarni's sweet munch mix

-Marni's mocha mix

-ChiChoCoCo mix

-Heart Healthy sweetness mix
-Endurance mix

 

 

Thank you everyone for helping me out with my latest Trimarni creation name! I hope you enjoy it as a snack or on yogurt and it makes you YUM when you fill your body with happiness and heart-healthy ingredients.

 

A few benefits of the ingredients:
(in addition to each of the ingredients separately tasting amazing!)

 

-Chocolate and coffee - rich in antioxidants, may increase alertness, energy and may reduce risk for heart disease and stroke, dementia, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. May boost mood. Coffee may not be appropriate for every body.

-Goji berries - rich in vitamin A and antioxidants. Goji berries may interact with diabetes and blood pressure drugs as well as Coumadin so discuss with your doctor if this may affect you.

-Nuts and seeds - rich in heart healthy fats, may lower cholesterol and decrease inflammation, increase satiety, and provides fiber, protein and immune-boosting minerals and vitamins.

-Chia seeds - provides omega 3 fatty acids, increase fullness with insoluble and soluble fibers, carbohydrates, protein, antioxidants, and calcium.

-Honey - natural source of carbohydrates/sugar and energy, antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties, soothes a sore throat, may reduce allergy symptoms.

-Coconut - beneficial for skin, contains iron, manganese, copper and fiber.

-Ginger - may decrease inflammation, reduce nausea and GI issues, may reduce risk for cancer, help with acid reflux/heartburn.

Trimarni Chiachoco heart-healthy mix

 

Ingredients:

3 cups trail mix (I used the goji trail mix at Whole Foods which included almonds, cashews, goji berries, raisins, pumpkin an sunflower seeds)

1/2 cup chia seeds

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/3 cup crystalized ginger (chopped)

3/4 cup chocolate covered coffee beans (crush in a baggy)
3/4 cup organic honey

3 cups plain Cheerios

2 large bowls

Spatula

 

1. In large mixing bowl, combine first five ingredients and combine with spatula.

2. Add in honey and combine well until evenly mixed.

3. In another large bowl, pour 1/2 of the above mixture in to the bowl and then add 1.5 cups cheerios. Stir until evenly combined.

4. Then add the other 1.5 cups cheerios and the above mixture.

5. Stir gently until the entire mixture is evenly combined.

6. Keep refrigerated for a more firm mixture.

(you can make bars with this recipe but the recipe may require more honey for better sticking).

 

Nutrition facts:
(Nutrition facts may vary based on how much of the mixture is in your serving, ex. more cheerios or more nuts depending on how the mixture sticks together. Also depending on your trail mix, nutrition facts may vary)

Serving size: 1/4 cup

Servings: 44 servings

(great for events or parties)

 

98 calories

5g fat

12g carbohydrates

2g fiber

5g sugar

2g protein

 

 

Pomegranate, apple and hazelnut pancakes and ginger strawberry smoothie

In the Trimarni house, we eat for fuel and for health. And most of all, eating is a happy time so we also eat for pleasure.

The same foods that fuel our active lifestyle, also keep our immune system healthy. Most of all, they are mostly whole and are found in a farm/garden so they also reduce our risk for disease.

There are no bad, off limit or temporary foods. We don't diet, cleanse, fast or do anything extreme wit the diet.

The only thing extreme about us is that we enjoy racing for 140.6 miles and Campy gets waaaaay too much love (but that will never stop).

We love whole foods that offer the nutrients that we need to support our healthy and active lifestyle.

We don't count calories, we count training hours. We enjoy the rewards of what a well-fueled, healthy and strong body allows us to do - year round - whether we are training for starting lines or moving for health gains.

We don't have a working scale. We eat for fuel, health and pleasure and after a few years of understanding our individual needs and best style of eating, we've discovered that it is possible for the body to take care of itself.

We don't believe in restricting food (especially whole foods) but instead, move the body more (ex. walking).

Whether we are enjoying the off-season, peaking for an Ironman or traveling the world, food enhances our life and doesn't control our life.

Why do you eat what you choose to eat? 

Ginger Strawberry Smoothie "meal"

10 ice cubes

30g protein powder (I used Solgar Whey To Go)
Dash of cinnamon
1 celery stick (chopped)
1/2 ripe banana
1 tsp fresh ginger (chopped or grated)
4 strawberries (stems removed)
10 baby carrots (mini)
1/2 cup Kale (Washed, chopped)
1/2 square 90% Dark chocolate
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup water

1. Blend ingredients in 6 cup blender for 90 seconds (this will make more volume and a more frothy smoothie.

I use the Oster Fusion blender. 
2. Pour 2.5 cups in large cup and enjoy.

Makes 2 servings (5 cups total)

Pomegranate, apple and hazelnut pancakes

1/2 cup apple (shredded) - I used gala
1/2 cup rye flour (you can use any flour)
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (I slice in half and then soak each half under cold water for a few minutes and then use a knife to cut pomegranate into segments and then pop out seeds with my hands into a bowl).
1/4 cup shredded carrots
1 egg
1 tbsp hazelnuts
1 tbsp honey
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup 0% Fage Greek yogurt
1/2 cup Skim Milk
1/2 cup oats
2 tsp oil (for pan)

1. Heat large skillet to medium heat. Drizzle 1/2 - 1 tsp oil and spread around pan for even coating.

2. Mix ingredients in large bowl and stir until evenly combined.

3. Use 1/4 cup and pour batter onto heated pan and press down to make flat pancake.

4. Cook 4-5 minutes on one side (or until golden brown) and flip and cook other side for 3 minutes.

Makes 7 servings

I have not had time to figure out calories as I like to do for some of my creations where I actually measure ingredients for cooking purposes. I will notify everyone when I put nutrition facts on this blog. For now - enjoy mindful eating as I always do. 

Watermelon ginger smoothie

Oster BRLY07-B 7-Speed Fusion Blender

I love my blender.....it is affordable and it durable. Two very important criteria for a Trimarni blender..for any food or gadget in my kitchen must fuel my active and healthy lifestyle. I don't eat for calories but for health, performance and for pleasure. 

When it comes to my eating "style", I'd say it is very intuitive. There's a lot of thinking about how food will make me feel as I eat it and afterward, some planning ahead but absolutely no guilty thoughts. I do not lecture or stress about food and eating is a happy time. Certainly, this was a long time in the making for several years of discovering a way of eating that works for me. But for the last few years, I have found myself with food freedom. In other words, food does not consume my life but instead it enhances me life. Food is not bad, overwhelming or difficult to understand but instead, something that I need on a daily basis for fuel and for health but also for the basic idea of eating for pleasure. I eat to honor hunger and stop when I am satisfied. If there is anything I don't like, it is being hungry but even worse, being stuffed. 

I find that many athletes and fitness enthusiasts are not in-tune with their body during training and thus, do not appreciate how food can help the body adapt to training stress and when properly timed with workouts can assist with successful balanced eating throughout the day. Although we should always focus on the nutrients found in food to protect our immune system from disease and illness, there is no better time during the day to put some passion into your eating, than when you are working out. 

Smoothies are an easy way to turn a recovery drink into a meal or to kick start the recovery process. There are dozens of ways to incorporate smoothies into your diet as an easy way to give your body fluids, vitamins, minerals and macronutrients. The ingredients in your smoothie depend on the purpose of the smoothie and with every food I put into my body, it has a purpose. Fuel. Health. Pleasure. 

I have a few "breakfast" meals that work for my body so depending on the workout and the type of morning I am planning (ex. working at the hospital vs being at home for my business) I have learned what meals and combinations of foods work best for me and my body. I don't waste energy on what other people are doing with the diet because I am not them and they are not me. For only I know my body and only I can reflect on what I feel is important to tweak in my diet to set myself up for successful eating for my active and busy life all while reducing my risk for disease so I can continue my awesome life for a few more decades to come.

Once you decide what is important to you with your eating in terms of why you are making changes, you will find it much easier to tweak the diet so that every day you are making a small change for long lasting results. There's no point being hungry, hoping to be better tomorrow, feeling low blood sugar or feeling guilty with eating. With a few small tweaks you can easily change your eating style and find yourself living a life that is not obsessed with food thoughts but instead enhanced with the nutrients found in your food choices.

A few of my favorite breakfast eats;

Yogurt w/ fruit and granola (typically when I work at home)
Egg omelet w/ veggies and cheese w/ fruit and bread (post long workout)
Oatmeal w/ fruit, nuts, protein powder (at the hospital)
Smoothie (intense workout or just in the mood)

Here is my delicious watermelon ginger smoothie that is packed with nutrition. I typically do not measure my food but I provided amounts for you so that you can make the perfect delicious smoothie to help nourish your body and/or recover from your workout.
I used this smoothie as a recovery "meal" and when I do that, I have some fats ad some type of carbs -typically some granola or breakfast bread (I love a good crunch).

                   Watermelon Ginger Smoothie

Ingredients4-5 large chunks watermelon

1/4 cup 0% fage greek yogurt

1 tbsp ground flax
7-8 ice cubes
~1.5 cups water
2 celery sticks (chopped and washed)
1 tbsp ginger (fresh, chopped)
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 large banana
25-30g vanilla whey protein (I typically don't consume the entire portion of smoothie so I use a bit more protein powder for another serving for Karel or for myself the next day).

1. Put all ingredients in the blender and blend. 

2. For a thicker smoothie (like a milkshake - how I like it :) ) keep the blender going for at least 1.5-2 minutes. You will get more volume, just make sure your blender has room for 6 cups (this is how much my creation made as listed above).

3. Pour smoothie into cups (I typically do a 3-4 cup serving post workout as my "meal" with some granola mixed in and then pour the rest in a coffee cup and freeze. I then defrost in 30-60 intervals the next day or as a snack later in the day).

This smoothie is packed with natural anti-inflammatories (ex. ginger and celery - you could throw in pineapple for an extra boost too) and also will help with hydration as it is packed with electrolytes. You may use any protein powder that you'd like (Ex. whey, soy, vegan).

 If you use a smoothie as a meal, I recommend to make sure it has some fat (ex. flax, PB, chia, avocado, oil) to slow down digestion otherwise you will be filled from volume and calories but may find yourself hungry 1-2 hours later. This smoothie typically holds me over for at least 3 hours. 

A few of my favorite happy tummy eats

When it comes to discovering the best diet and exercise routine for you body and lifestyle, you must remember that you are eating for you and exercising for your goals. Never be afraid of what others will think of you as you nourish and fuel and work your body to encourage a long, happy life. Although you should never feel isolated because of your eating and exercise routine, keep in mind that your balanced diet and exercise routine may inspire others. 

GINGER!

Why I love it? Natural anti-inflammatory and perfect for the tummy when fueling with sport nutrition products. Also a must for me on the days leading up to the race to help with pre-race nerves affecting digestion. Also helpful for nausea.

EDAMAME!

Why I love it? 1/2 cup + 13g of protein!!! Not only is it delicious but it also provides iron, vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium along with over 400 mg of potassium.

TRAIL MIX

Why I love it?  A perfect combo of protein, carbs and fat to keep my brain, body and tummy happy. I portion control to individual baggies for easy snacking, especially after work on my drive home. I love to add trail mix to my yogurt and fruit breakfast in the morning w/ granola. 

SALAD BARS!

Why I love it? Nothing better than having everything prepared for you and you can pick whatever you want, based on your workout routine or nutrient needs. But isn't it great when you don't have to pay by the pound? I always make sure I have a variety of fruits and veggies in my fridge at all times and I love shopping seasonally. I am loving the summer fruits while they last and there is no shortage of them in our house. I typically shop 2-3 days a week for produce as we go through it fast! Here's my Trimarni kitchen salad bar creation.. Spinach, arugula, onions, carrots, avocado, baby tomatoes, grapes, blueberries, pumpkin seeds, feta, mixed brown rice, cashews, cottage cheese and strawberries.

WASA CRACKERS

Why I love it? The key to the perfect pre training snack is finding food options that are energy dense (high carb) but low in volume. Depending on the intensity and volume, a little fat and protein may be useful. One of my favorite pre training snacks for 1-3 hour workouts is Wasa North America crackers (light rye 2-4 crackers) spread with a little PB and honey, topped with raisins, cinnamon and banana slices. Happy tummy, happy muscles, happy body.

CAMPY!

Why I love him? He never complains, provides unconditional loves, loves to run, treats every day like a lottery winning day, never tries to rush the day, loves road trips, loves to be outside and loves life.
(Love my Oakley Women Warm-up shades)