Tuscan Chicken "stir-fry"

Sorry again ... man, I've been inconsistent lately. If I miss just ONE day of blogging, I'm off the wagon. But then I get re-energized every time somebody says, "Hey! You haven't updated the blog in a few days! What gives?" I forget people actually read this. :-)

Oh - and one reader in particular (I won't call you out) goes, "I read your blog every day but I would never do all that. I don't cook." WELL!! ...... Okay, two things.

(1) I'm no gourmet. I don't use recipes. I don't use a lot of ingredients. I just get an idea for something that sounds good and I cut up some stuff, throw it in a pan or on the grill, and we eat it. No magic. Anybody can do what I do. And the more you tinker in the kitchen, the more ideas you get and the more confident you feel. (And the quicker and more efficient you get too). I will tell you - the right toys make all the difference. I have a huge cutting board I love, a SUPER-sharp knife from Williams-Sonoma, and two very nice nonstick Calphalon pans. I've collected these things over time. Would be expensive to buy them all at once. But I tell you what ... like a cute outfit makes you workout harder ... nice kitchen stuff makes it way more fun to cook. And you DO get what you pay for.

(2) Cooking is really important to taking control of your life and your health. I'm sorry. I don't care if you're a grown man who never made so much as scrambled eggs for himself ... if you're a poor college student ... if you're a crazy-busy mom ... it doesn't matter. You owe it to yourself (and to your family if you're a spouse or parent - either gender) to take control over what goes in your body. The only way to do that is to prepare your meals yourself. Every box and package you can avoid from the store is one less preservative, chemical, and additive that goes in your system.

So, on to the log for today - Monday, Sept. 28:

Meal #1: 2 pcs nitrate-free bacon; 2 omega-3 eggs, over hard; 1/2 a pear; water

Meal #2: Celery with Sunbutter; water

Meal #3: Mixed greens, spinach, romaine lettuces w/ 1 can of tuna, 1/2 a tomato, cucumber, and organic vinaigrette dressing; water

*I bought bagged spring mix, baby spinach and romaine lettuces at the store this weekend, then chopped up each kind (on my big cutting board with my big knife) and mixed them all in a big tupperware to keep in the fridge for easy, on-the-go salads.

Meal #4: Meat from 2 small quail drizzled with olive oil; 1 small apple

*My family goes on a big quail shoot in Alabama every Christmas, so I have a freezer full of wild game (no antibiotics, no weird diet, no questionable processing methods) brought home by my fearless hunter hubby. :-) I know not everybody has this luxury (or would want it), but the point is - find the most natural, humanely treated, organically raised meat you can for the healthiest dose of protein without the crap.

Meal #5: Tuscan Chicken "stir-fry" - chicken breast w/ Mrs. Dash tomato basil seasoning; broccoli/carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and capers

*So easy. I was in the mood for Italian, so I made something up. Seared a chicken breast in some olive oil and salt-free Mrs. Dash, then cut it into strips, and added back to the pan. Steamed a bag of broccoli/carrots in the microwave for a couple minutes, then added the veggies to the pan too with some sun-dried tomatoes, capers I had leftover from last week, and a little garlic (I buy it pre-chopped, in a jar). Seriously, took about 10 minutes. And sooooo yummy. Does this look gourmet to you?? You can do it!!! :-) And who needs the pasta? I don't even miss it. This was delicious.

Yummy cabbage!

Who knew I liked cabbage? Experimented tonight, and it was really good!!

Wednesday log

Meal #1: Scrambled egg whites w/ 2 pcs nitrate -free bacon crumbled in and sun-dried tomatoes; coffee w/ pumpkin spice creamer

Workout: 30 min. walk w/ Parker (threw in a couple minutes of jogging just to keep the muscle memory alive)

Meal #2: 1 oz. natural almonds; 1 kiwi fruit

I love kiwi. :)

Meal #3: Leftover buffalo chili from last night

Meal #4: 1/2 a very large turkey breast on the grill; sauteed cabbage w/ red onion and bacon

Threw together a quick marinade this morning and left the turkey in the fridge all day. Very easy and very good! Juice of 1 orange, then cut up the rind and left it in there; lime juice; garlic; oregano; apple cider vinegar; olive oil

Oh! And guess what all I passed up today? Marble Slab ice cream (my fave) and birthday cupcakes for a friend. Yay me!

Diet as prescription? How about diet as PREVENTION!

Ever had a friend or family member with a health issue (anything from tummy issues to arthritis to ADD) and a doctor suggests changing their diet? Typically eliminating either grains, dairy, processed food, or all three. Boy, I sure have. In her books, Jenny McCarthy details how her own experiments with her son Evan's diet dramatically alleviated his autistic behaviors. Of course, he still has autism. And of course, she combined these dietetic changes with behavioral therapy. But she'll be the first to say she's convinced that eliminating grains and dairy from his diet produced a completely different child. I have PLENTY of stories like that from people in my own life.

So, doctors are really smart people, right? I'm related to a couple. Friends with many more. They're really smart, typically very caring people. They want us to be healthy and live long healthy lives. So, for me, this begs a question. If in many situations doctors think it's a good idea to eliminate grains, dairy and/or processed food to alleviate symptoms of disease, then why do so many of them preach a diet of 6 - 11 daily servings of grains, 2 - 3 daily servings of dairy, and no ban on processed food as long as it is low-fat?

Unfortunately, I think I have the answer. The April 2009 issue of The American Journal of Cinical Nutrition found that "the amount of nutrition education in medical schools remains inadequate." Doctors know a lot more about pharmaceuticals than they do about nutrition. That's not a judgment. I don't know anything about auto mechanics. No biggie. I didn't go to school for it. So if not doctors, then who should we be listening to about what to eat in order to, ahem, live long and prosper? Dieticians? They went to A LOT of school to learn about nutrition. Okay, schools accredited by whom? -- by the American Dietetic Association. The ADA. The preeminent institution for nutrition research and recommendation. Question: Who funds their research? The official Web site for the ADA is www.eatright.org. If you go to their Food & Nutrition Information section, you will find fact sheets on all things deemed "healthy." Open any one of these fact sheets and scroll down to the bottom right corner to see who "sponsored" (paid them for) that document. Barley: A Healthy Heart Solution provided by ... The National Barley Foods Council. Diglyceride-Rich Oils (such as soybean, corn and peanut oils) provided by ... Enova Brand Oil. The Benefits of Chewing Gum provided by ... Wrigley Science Institute (sound familiar? As in Wrigley's spearmint gum?). Notice a trend?

The ADA is not evil. On the contrary, I think they truly exist to make our nation healthier. The problem here is not motive. The problem is integrity. I don't have a solution for them. Because I don't know where else they would get the money to fund their research and public relations but taking money from FOR-PROFIT organizations completely dilutes their message. Affiliating with special interest groups of any kind makes everything you say suspect.

I don't know for sure that Paleo is the exact right prescription for our bodies. But I am damn sure the Food Pyramid isn't it. I will keep digging and keep you posted on my opinions. I know you're on the edge of your seat. :-)

Tuesday log

Meal #1: Coffee with pumpkin spice creamer; scrambled omega-3 eggs with 1/2 an avocado, organic tomato salsa; 1 fresh mango

Coffee creamer is my non-negotiable Paleo indiscretion. And I don't care.

Workout: Walked Parker 30 minutes

I haven't been including this as my workout, but I walk the dog for a half-hour every morning, and that totally counts!!

Meal #2: 1 oz. natural almonds (unsalted); 1 small box raisins

Meal #3: Leftover tuscan soup (veg broth, tomatoes, sausage, spinach, cauliflower)

Meal #4: Tomato, cucumber, avocado salad w/ olive oil, lime

juice, a little salt and pepper; rotisserie chicken breast

Again, it gives me a little heartburn to buy grocery store rotisserie chickens because I know they come from wretched conditions, but it's just so much more convenient and cost-effective than buying and cooking organic poultry each week. I am ashamed!!

Meal #5: Chili w/ free-range buffalo meat, green bell pepper, red onion, canned diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, crushed red pepper

I also tried to make "cauli-rice" to go with this ... cauliflower in the food processor then microwaved and fluffed like rice. It looks good on the Internet. In real life, it's very stinky. I ate it with my chili for dinner but threw away the leftovers.

Why am I crying?

First things first ... my bad y'all, on last week's silence. Lost momentum with Labor Day weekend and one missed blog turned into 10! Oy.

Now, I had a pretty perfect Paleo day today. All planned meals and a CrossFit Mom workout to end the evening. So why am I crying?!?! Let me start by saying I love that the baby is growing. And when he does, so must I. Pregnancy is a beautiful thing and I really do wear it with pride. But let me just vent for a second ...

My boobs are huge. Not in the enviable Victoria's Secret way either. More like a page out of National Geographic. Is this really necessary? Also, in the right light (or when sitting Indian style), I'm beginning to notice cellulite on my legs. I know for a fact this is due to too much cheating on Paleo and too many missed workouts. The lumpy appearance of excess body fat is raring its ugly head. This is not okay with me. I must revisit my dedication to "the plan." So, this disappointment in myself coupled with the fact that I physically could not complete my workout tonight = crying in the shower. My hands simply ripped on the pull-up bar. This has happened before. And I do not cry every time. I guess I just felt very defeated, and no one to blame but myself.

I have a lot of really great cheerleaders out there who say, "Now is the time you can eat whatever you want." "Now is the one time you don't have to worry about your body - enjoy it." If you've said these things to me, know that I love you and truly appreciate the support. However, I think this is an unintentional form of sabotage. Pregnancy doesn't give you a license to completely change your lifestyle. If anything, I think I have even MORE of a responsibility to take care of my body. Someone else's little body is growing and developing in there!! He's feeding off or suffering from everything I do. I don't mean to be dramatic about it, but that really is a great deal of responsibility and I don't take it lightly.

So for the sake of the little one, and for the sake of the medical staff who will spend a day in February looking very closely at my thighs, I am renewing my vows to Paleo and CrossFit. 5x a week or bust!! :)

Meal # 1: 2 omega-3 scrambled eggs with added egg whites and green onions; bowl of fresh berries
Meal # 2: Apple with Sunbutter
Meal # 3: Romaine and spinach salad with boiled chicken breast, sauteed red/yellow peppers, olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Meal # 4: Homemade trail mix with almonds, walnuts, blueberries and mixed dried fruit (looked for variety with lowest sugar - 23g per 1/4 cup)
Meal # 5: Tuscan soup made with low-sodium vegetable broth, canned diced tomatoes, hot Italian pork sausage, fresh spinach leaves, chopped cauliflower
I added a little salt while it was all simmering together, but really the sausage provided plenty of heat and flavor all by itself. Next time will use kale vs. spinach for better texture.
Workout: 3 rounds of 15 pull-ups (medium assistance band), 15 lunges each leg, 15 knees-to-elbows on pull-up bar ... prescribed workout was 4 rounds. I did 8 of the pull-ups, all of the lunges and none of the K2E in the 4th round.
Meal # 6: Carrots and celery with organic blue cheese dressing

I spent too long venting about my foul mood today ... but I have a soapbox to hop on tomorrow about diet and the correlation to disease. Nite nite!

Finally, a pretty perfect Paleo day

Meal # 1: 1 omega-3 enriched egg, scrambled with some added egg whites, spinach, onion, sun-dried tomatoes, and 1 pc. nitrate-free bacon crumbled on top

Meal # 2: Apple with Sunbutter

Meal # 3: Panera Greek salad with chicken, olives, tomatoes, red onion. No feta.

Meal # 4: Leftover tilapia fillet and broccoli/carrots

Meal # 5: Mexican hash with homemade guacamole and organic store-bought salsa
Hash = Organic ground beef sauteed in olive oil with garlic, onion, shredded zucchini, shredded carrots, cumin, chili powder, paprika, crushed red pepper, and ... you guessed it, my favorite ... fresh cilantro! Guac was 1 whole avocado, mashed, with more fresh cilantro, lime juice and a bit of salt and pepper. No added salt to meat dish, though. Got this recipe off a Paleo blog and it was really, really good!!

Workout: Warmup = 20 min. walk w/ Parker; Workout = AMRAP in 15 min. of 4 pull ups (medium assistance band), 4 dips (on rings, with feet on floor), 8 push-ups (on knees), 12 kettlebell swings (6 each arm; only have a 15 lb KB at home) ... Got 6 rounds of 4-4-8-12 + 3 pull-ups.

Boy, for my athletic ladies out there, be prepared to lose a significant amount of strength when you get pregnant. I don't know if it's the extra weight (13 lbs so far), the extra blood volume, or what - but I am not the same athlete I was four months ago. It's a little frustrating to feel so weak, but Eric is great about reminding me that my body's only job right now is to make a baby. Any of the workouts I do now are primarily to preserve my muscle memory for when I get back after it post-partum, to keep joints lubricated, heart strong, etc. Not out to make any gains right now.

As for the diet, I wanted to address some FAQ's I've been getting lately on Paleo, but I'm too tired now. Will shoot for this weekend. Nite nite!!

Videos speak 1,000 words

Did you read my post from Saturday where I sent Eric out for coffee but said don't get food, I'll make it here? I was so proud. Well, today was a different day. He was running late; I was staying home. I went out for coffee, and I succumbed to the drive-thru.

HOWEVER, these kinds of "convenience decisions," as you know, are not typical, and I still feel very strongly about the Paleo way of life, as well as the CrossFit way of exercising. I get a lot of GRIEF (you know who you are), a few arguments, but mostly questions about why I do what I do. These two videos sum up perfectly what I believe concerning diet and exercise and how we were meant to live. Enjoy and feel free to disagree! That is the beauty of this glorious free nation! :-)

Why Paleo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCFZoqmKf5M
Why CrossFit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGXep32_qiI

Meal # 1: McDonald's mocha latte (no whipped cream ... hey, save on sugar where you can); Egg McMuffin [insert sad face]

Meal # 2: Leftover salad with veggies and 3 oz. can of tuna, olive oil and vinegar
So glad I made that big salad with all those chopped veggies the other night. I have gotten so much use out of that. And I only chopped once! Also, I rinse the tuna really well to try to wash off as much of the sodium as possible.

Meal # 3: Tilapia with blackening seasoning and lemon juice; broccoli and shredded carrots in olive oil - little bit of salt and pepper
Going much easier on the salt than before. Trying to transition to not adding any at all to food I prepare.

Pregnancy cravings are REAL!

For Wednesday, Sept. 2 ...

I would first like to apologize to all the pregnant women out there who have talked about or blogged about their cravings because though you may not have known it, I was judging you. I was thinking, yeah right. Cravings, shmavings. You have complete control over what you put in your mouth, pregnant or not. We've just been convinced by pop culture that pregnancy cravings are these intense fixations on food that physically pull your car into the drive-through of a Jack in the Box against your will. Well, let me tell you, that's not too far from the truth. There's only been one other time in my pregnancy that I've had anything close to what I would consider a craving. I was driving home from work and I just had to have Chic-fil-A lemonade. Not lemonade from a can or bottle in a convenience store. CHIC-FIL-A, SODA FOUNTAIN lemonade. I've probably only had it one other time in my life and that was like in high school or something. So, I don't know where that came from. Random. Well, the second craving happened tonight. Read on ...

Meal # 1: 1 scrambled omega-3 enriched egg with added egg whites, spinach, onion, organic salsa; 2 pcs. nitrate-free bacon; blueberries/strawberries; water

Meal # 2: Carrots, celery and full-fat, organic Ranch dressing
You know the drill - no protein, not enough good fat = not perfect. But filled me up for about an hour or so.

Meal # 3: Leftover salad from the other night - mixed greens, spinach, yellow pepper, broccoli, tomatoes, cucumber, walnuts, etc., olive oil and vinegar. Added some boiled chicken for protein.
The walnuts were too bitter. I ended up picking around them. They were good in my salad from Ciccio's last weekend. Wonder why. Maybe the restaurants use salted nuts??

Meal # 4: Leftover boiled chicken and homemade slaw from earlier in the week
Slaw is a few days old by now. Probably not the best idea I've ever had. I didn't get sick or anything, but it had just been marinating too long and was really strong tasting.

Meal # 5: Two pasta dish Lean Cuisines and a cinnamon roll
hahahahahaha. This makes me laugh. The aforementioned craving. Pasta. And cinnamon rolls. WTF? But I couldn't help it. I was fixated. Literally nothing else sounded good. I dropped Eric off downtown to have a drink with some friends, and I looked like hell, so I wasn't going into like a Carrabba's or something like that to sit around at the bar while they made my food. So, I whipped right in to the nearest Publix, picked out a tomato sauce pasta Lean Cuisine and an alfredo sauce pasta Lean Cuisine (with the intention of mixing them together - which I did), and a cinnamon roll from the bakery. I looked like a crazy person!!!

"Glutton" for punishment

Key word is GLUTTON! After yesterday's post-ice cream stomach issues, wait til you see what my dumb ass went and did today ...

Meal # 1: Scrambled eggs; 2 slices fresh pinapple; 1 small bunch of grapes; 1 big strawberry; water
Breakfast meeting for a networking organization I'm looking to join. No pastries, muffins or biscuits and gravy. Good choices.

Meal # 2: Celery sticks with Sunbutter; water

Meal # 3: Mixed lettuces with chicken, 1/2 an avocado, shredded carrot, red grapes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar; water
Protein, Good fat, low-glycemic carbs ... perfect lunch

Meal # 4: Marble Slab vanilla ice cream with hot fudge, caramel sauce and Heath bar pieces
Can you believe it?!?! After I JUST had ice cream yesterday ... AND experienced stomach pain because of it!! I went back for more. What is wrong with me? It was free, of course, as most crap at work is because of all the vendor events. Normally, I stick to only what I brought to eat. But Marble Slab? I caved. Still had some tummy issues afterward. You'd think I'd learn my lesson. :-(

Meal # 5: Steak and shrimp on the grill (with a little A1 and cocktail sauce); big salad w/ mixed greens, spinach, yellow pepper, broccoli, tomato, cucumber, walnuts and organic bottled vinaigrette
I know cavemen did not have condiments and I really try to use them sparingly because they are all primarily made of sugar and salt. But I just love the kick of Bold & Spicy A1 and horseradish cocktail sauce. And typically I dress salads with olive oil and vinegar but if I do use a bottled dressing, I make sure it's organic, has very few ingredients, and no high-fructose corn syrup.

Workout: Warmup = 3 rounds of 300m row, 15 good mornings, 15 air squats, 15 shoulder presses with PVC pipe; workout = AMRAP in 12 min. of thrusters, hang power cleans, and sumo deadlift high-pulls. Rx weight for girls was 65. Preggo's are supposed to be around half that. I just used an empty 45-lb bar and tried to pace myself. Got 4 rounds in 12 min. Good workout. I miss lifting.

Am I lactose intolerant and didn't know it?!

This is for Monday, Aug. 31 ...

So, the Paleo folks tell you to try the new lifestyle (no cheats) for 30 days. At the end of those 30 days, pick one thing to reintroduce (like dairy or grains) and see how your body responds. I've never gone 30 days fully Paleo because I was actually already pregnant when I started this journey so my first three months were plagued with queasiness and altered tastes. I'm pretty Paleo, though. Anywho, I have cut out all grains, dairy and legumes when I am on plan, but for my occassional open meals, I have had dishes with cheese or grains several times, with no repurcussions. So, imagine my surprise when a dairy-fest snack today totally had me doubled over in pain!!

Meal # 1: Two omega-3 enriched eggs, over hard; 2 pcs. nitrate-free bacon; strawberries; water

Meal # 2: Plum; 1 oz. unsalted almonds; water

Meal # 3: Two barbeque chicken breasts; two servings roasted vegetables; water
Company anniversary celebration. No rice, no potato salad, no baked beans. Yay, me.

Meal # 4: Two scoops ice cream with chocolate syrup and heath bar; 2 chocolate chip cookies
Company celebration continues. I could NOT pass up the ice cream sundae bar. However, exactly 30 min. later, I went running to the bathroom with severe stomach cramping!! Sorry for the TMI, but I was actually pleasantly surprised that my body must be so adapted to the new order of things that it actually physically rejected my lactose-laden indiscretion!!

Meal # 5: Carrot sticks with Ranch dressing
I use full-fat organic Ranch because it has far fewer ingredients and preservatives. When companies take out fat, they must compensate with something, usually sugar. Cavemen obviously didn't have condiments but my palate is not disciplined enough to enjoy veggies completely raw yet.

Meal # 6: Paleo chili ... organic ground beef (80%); green pepper; red onion; 1 jalepeno pepper; 2 big cans organic diced tomatoes; chili powder; garlic; cumin; some salt
No beans, no crackers, no cheese on top. Still totally delicious. Didn't miss any of it.

Workout: None. :( Not starting the week off on a good foot! And I only got a 40% last week! Gonna have to kick it into high gear the rest of this week.