Another Sunday, Another Meal Plan

meal_planning

I have a little bit of ADD. Seriously…don’t we all? I sat down to do my meal plan, got about 20 minutes into it, and found myself making turkey meatloaf muffins and cleaning the kitchen. I like to start a project, and then start 3 more projects in the meantime. I’m not sure why that is, but it is. I will go to do a load of laundry. On the way to the laundry room, I’ll get sidetracked by a library book that should have been returned weeks ago! I’ll pick that up and go to put it in my bag, so that I won’t forget, and notice my checkbook. Oops, forgot to write that check for gymnastics class. Looking for a pen, I see the phone. First I’ll call my mom back and see what she wanted. While I’m talking, I’ll walk around and put the kids’ toys away that they left out all over the house. I’ll walk up to their bedrooms and notice my laptop that they swiped from me. I’ll carry that downstairs and remember I was looking for a pen. I’ll go get a pen and see the dogs bowl is empty…better feed him. Go get the dog food and see the laundry basket that I set in front of the washer 2 hours ago. And that’s how it goes most days. It’s a wonder I get anything done at all!

But I DID get my meal plan done for the week! So at least there’s that!

meal_4-21
Click here to print and link to recipes.

Charlie Sheen is Doing It…You Should Too!

winningWhat on earth is Charlie Sheen doing that YOU should be doing, too? WINNING! We should all be winning every day! Because winning feels good! Just ask Charlie!

Don’t you remember when you were a kid how winning made you feel? Getting a blue ribbon, celebrating a big victory at a little league game, hoisting the team trophy, winning a game of checkers, even just racing a friend across the playground…you wanted to WIN! Now compare that with our adult lives…what do we win? Cleaning the dirtiest toilet best? Cooking dinner that most of your family will eat? Maybe…

In 2004 I ran my first marathon and quickly re-discovered what it feels like to ‘win’ again. Of course…I didn’t win the marathon, not even close. I think I finished in the top half though…so around 15,000th place! LOL! But you couldn’t have convinced me that I hadn’t won! As I turned the corner toward the finish line, and reflected on the last 4 months of training, and the 26 miles I had just run….I remembered all the early morning runs, the heat, the blisters, and leg cramps. In the last two tenths of the race I might as well have been all alone, running toward the tape. I was sobbing, in disbelief of what I had just accomplished. When my foot crossed the line, I WON! That’s how it felt. Even writing about it makes me well-up. It was an emotional as well as a physical achievement. And that feeling is most definitely the reason that so many people repeat the whole process again and again. I have run 4 marathons since then and ‘won’ them all! It feels good to win!

Of course the only person I won against, was me. The me that never thought I could do such a thing. The me that would rather sleep in on a Saturday than lace up, fuel up, gear up and go run for 3 hours. I beat the crap outta that me. She never even saw it coming!

I haven’t run a marathon since 2010, but I win all the time. Every time I start a new 90 day program, and see it through to the final day…I win! Heck, every day I choose my workout over an extra hour of sleep, or a t.v. show…I win! Every time (like this morning) that I take an extra 10 minutes to pack up my lunch and snacks for the day instead of feeling the temptation to stop for fast, convenient, junk food…I win! And I celebrate every little victory. It’s usually a quiet celebration: a smile, a sigh of relief, a skip in my step…but it still feels pretty damn good. In my head I’m spiking the football, doing a victory lap, pumping my fist and screaming at the top of my lungs…I DID IT! 😀 “In your face Old Me!” I’m a much more gracious winner now, than I was when I was a kid. I guess then I was a little more like Charlie Sheen.

*A side note: I wouldn’t necessarily recommend winning in the sense that Charlie was winning. Cause on the outside it looked a lot more like losing. But at least he felt good about being the best loser he could be! So in a sense…he WAS winning!

In short…find victory in the little contests of life. We face multiple battles every day, often with ourselves. Show You who’s boss. Put your game face on and be a winner! And celebrate your victories…it feels good! 🙂

Guacamole Hummus

guacamole_hummus

I posted this on Facebook recently, but wanted to add it to my blog for easier access! This is SO good! Use it for a condiment, a dip, whatever you like!

Do you like guacamole? Do you like hummus? Then VOILA! You have to try this!

1.5 C (one can) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 C fresh spinach
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Half a large ripe avocado
Juice from 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions: Toss it all into a food processor or blender and you’re done!

*I added a little water when I blended mine to get the right consistency.
94 calories/serving (Makes 7-8 servings)

 

Meal Plan and Happy Thought

First my happy thought: I’m so lucky to have such an awesome family! I got to hang out with some cool aunts, uncles and cousins today, when we all got together to celebrate my Grandma’s 85th birthday! Several of them joined me right after the new year, in a challenge group. They are still going strong, working out, eating healthy foods and reporting daily. And I finally saw them IN PERSON today, for the first time since Christmas! Although now they are down 15-25 pounds and dozens of inches EACH! Better than that were the smiles on their faces when they talked about their progress and how happy they are with what they’ve accomplished! What fun! I’ve been smiling all day! 😀

And now my meal plan for the week. This is helping me be accountable so much! I’m hoping that it helps some of you, too! 🙂

meal_4-7
Click here to print and view recipe links.

This is Only a Test

thisisonlyatest

When you see this:

~ps431.tmp

What do you say to yourself? “Oh…I’m dieting, I can’t have that.” or “I want that so bad, but I shouldn’t.” Think about it for a minute, because I think what you say to yourself in this situation says a lot about your mindset, which translates directly to the kind of results you can expect. So while you’re stirring that around for a minute…let me tell you a little about WHY I’m thinking about this.

I posted something on Facebook and Instagram a couple of days ago about changing your mind before you can change your body. We all agree on this right? I feel like I’ve written at length about how health and fitness is so much more of a mental than a physical struggle. I made a comment that if you haven’t changed your mindset, than you’re just going through the motions. I firmly believe that. Sure you might be working out, and you might be eating some healthy foods, but if health/fitness doesn’t guide almost every decision you make…you’re not quite there.

I don’t mean that in an obsessive kind of way at all. I know to some it might sound that way. How could health/fitness guide every decision? Well, honestly, if you put yourself first…that’s it! What about you? What about your goals, hopes, desires? If that is in the front of your mind as you go throughout your day, you will almost always make the right decisions for YOU! In other words, don’t forget what you want, and what you wish for yourself. If it’s important to you, if it’s in the front of your mind at all times, than you’ll find the ways to achieve it.

So when someone asks me HOW? “How can I stop going through the motions, and be ALL in?” My answer is sadly: I don’t know. Not helpful at all right!? I’m sorry…but it is different for everyone. Your needs and wants are different from mine. We’re all waiting for the CLICK! The click is when you just get it. The choices are clear. The decisions are easy. Once you’ve experienced the click, you’re turned on and tuned in to what you want. And then it’s easy. I can’t create the click for you, nor can anyone else for that matter. However, I can tell you where to start. Just try. Yep, that’s it…try. Because here is what could happen: That conscious decision to try could lead you to make better choices. You might decide to set some goals. Maybe you’ll put together a plan of action. You might stick with your plan long enough to reach some of your goals. Maybe you won’t get frustrated with setbacks and impatient with slow results. Maybe you’ll start to feel better. Perhaps your mindset will start to change and then…CLICK! Now you’re on your way to real changes. It will be contagious. People around you will begin to notice and EXPECT you to make the right choices for yourself. They’ll say, “I wish I could do that.” Or “I wish I had that kind of will power.” …and that’s a beautiful thing!

And then one day, you’ll be approached with THIS.

cheeseburger_fries

And do you know what you’ll say…

I CAN have it, but I don’t WANT it!

And that is when you will truly have the power over every decision you make. You can do anything you want. You get to decide! When faced with the choice to do your scheduled workout, you COULD choose to skip, but you won’t WANT to. Your mind is made up. CLICK!

Did you pass the test?

Put Down the Chocolate!

chocolate_factoryAnother holiday weekend is in the books. I made it through relatively unscathed. I’m not gonna lie though, those little Robin Eggs are a delicious little candy-coated temptation. Why do I even buy them? I LOVE malt balls, always have. I’ll admit that while I was preparing Easter baskets, one or two might have fallen out of the bag and directly into my hand which then accidentally put them into my mouth! 😉 I’m human; these things happen. Other than that…and a little piece of the carrot cake I made for Easter dinner (with applesauce in place of MOST of the oil!) I was pretty darn good! Got my workouts in and everything! I am happy however to approach a new week, with a new plan, albeit a little late. Here it is:

mealplan3_31
Click to print and link to recipes.

Whole Grain Waffles

 

waffleJust a quick how d’ya do and a waffle recipe. After I posted this picture on Facebook and Instagram today, I was asked by a few people how I made them. As with many of my recipes, I start with a recipe that I’ve found on-line somewhere and then clean it up and change a few ingredients, depending on what I have in my pantry. I would imagine you could do the very same thing with this and still come up with something even deliciouser! To ‘health’ it up even more…use all applesauce. I’m sure it would work just fine. The kids LOVED them and would never have suspected that they were good for them! So here you go:

*Makes 6-8 waffles

1/3 C. egg whites
1 3/4 cups skim milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup oatmeal (grind in a food processor or blender)
1/4 cup wheat germ
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, milk, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Beat in whole wheat flour, ground oatmeal, wheat germ, baking powder, sugar, and salt until batter is smooth.
Preheat a waffle iron, and coat with cooking spray. Pour batter into waffle iron in batches, and cook until crisp and golden brown.

Made this way, 1 waffle = 184 calories

Made with all applesauce (no oil), 1 waffle = 127 calories

Tzatziki Burps!

gyro_assembledI have had these recipes around for quite a while, and I have enjoyed them on several occasions. However, this week, I made them with ‘clean-eaters’ eyes. What I saw delighted me! These are a delicious and healthy alternative to the traditional gyro. The chicken is worth making again and again, even if just for salads, or even on its own. It is THAT good! But put in a pita, with some tomato, red onion and a healthy dollop of tzatziki sauce, and you have got yourself a CLEAN and tasty Gyro!

I lived in the Chicago area for almost 20 years and knew exactly where to go for a tasty gyro. Even before my ‘clean-eating’ days…I was always kind of health-nut. But, occasionally (like once or twice/year maybe) I would treat myself to an authentic Greek gyro! Add fries, and you’re probably looking at about 1000 calories! Yikes! But, they’re so tasty! And if you have never had a gyro, then you have never experienced how a gyro can sort of ‘stick with you’ for a while. You’re guaranteed to offend someone (even yourself!) with gastric expulsions of air for the rest of the day after you have eaten one. It’s sort of the true test of a good gyro! So using that criteria…these are almost as good! 😉

Chicken for Gyros

2 cloves minced garlic

1 lemon – juiced (2-3 T)

2 t. red wine vinegar

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 heaping Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

1 T. dried oregano

Salt and Pepper

1 ½ pounds (about 3 large) boneless, skinless chicken breast

*Combine all of the ingredients (except chicken) and whisk completely. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place into a large Ziploc bag. Pour marinade over the chicken and refrigerate for 1 hr-1 day (the longer the better!)

Meanwhile…make the sauce!

Tzatziki Sauce

1 C. plain, Greek, non-fat yogurt (I LOVE Fage!)

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded

1 clove minced garlic

1 t. white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Directions: Shred the cucumber or chop in food processor. Wrap in a paper towel and squeeze to remove as much water as possible. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. *Refrigerate 30 minutes-1 day before serving to allow flavors to blend.

To cook the chicken – You could cook it in the skillet, BUT my favorite way to prepare it is under the broiler. I think it makes it perfectly juicy and delicious! You will have to know your own broiler though for this! It also will depend on the size/thickness of your breasts (well…not YOUR breasts, but you knew what I meant!) You could even butterfly the breasts first, to make sure that it cooks all of the way through. I have a gas broiler. I set mine 2 shelves from the flame and let it cook for about 7-8 minutes on each side, watching VERY closely to make sure they weren’t burning! When they looked done on the outside, I moved them down 2 racks and let them cook another 7-8 minutes. They were done perfectly! Then, definitely move them to a plate and let them sit for about 5 minutes before slicing to seal the juices inside.

Finally, you’re ready to slice and serve! Cut the chicken into strips, heat up some whole wheat pitas. Slice some red onion and tomato. Assemble each gyro with chicken slices, tomato, onion and a big plop of tzatziki sauce. gyro_unassembled

Made this way: ½ whole wheat pita (80 calories) + 1 serving meat (90 calories) and 1 serving sauce (10 calories), you’ve got yourself a 180 calorie gyro!

Ok…now if you want to treat yourself a little read on. I grew up in Michigan and LOVED to eat at Olga’s in the mall. It’s like an Americanized gyro restaurant, but the bread is to die for! So I have this recipe for Olga bread that is an exact replica! The kids LOVE these and they are kind of fun to make. They’re going to cost you a few more calories, but if you’ve been working out and staying healthy, then you’re allowed the occasional splurge! These go quite nicely with the chicken! *I’d like to try these with all or partial whole wheat to clean them up a little.

‘Olga’ Bread

1 C. milk

Âź C. honey

Âź c. butter

1 t. salt

1 pkg. active dry yeast

Âź c. warm water

1 t. sugar

4 C. all-purpose flour, divided

1 egg

Directions– Scald milk (this means to heat until the milk just starts to bubble at the sides and then remove from heat!). Add honey, butter and salt to milk. Stir until butter is melted. Set aside to cool until lukewarm. Combine yeast, warm water and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

Add 1 ½ cups of the flour to lukewarm milk mixture and beat well. Mix in egg and yeast mixture. Add remaining flour, a little at a time, until sticky dough is formed. Turn out on a floured surface. Knead about 2 minutes. Dough will be sticky, but don’t add more flour. Place dough in oiled bowl, turning once to oil whole surface of dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in warm place until doubled in bulk. Punch down dough. Divide into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece to a thin rough circle about 1/8 inch thick and 8-10 inches in diameter.

Heat a large dry skillet over medium-high heat. Do not use any oil. Cook for 15-20 seconds, flip and bake about 10-15 more seconds on the other side, until brown spots appear. Do not over-cook. Transfer to plate turning often as you add to the pile. Eat right away, or store in a plastic bag once cooled and refrigerate or freeze for later.

Makes 16- 1 Olga bread is 152 calories, so if you use this in place of the whole wheat pita, then you’re at 252 calories per gyro.

gyro_olga

 Add these to your meal plan! Tzatziki burps for everyone!

Meal Plan for March 17 – March 23

meal_pic
Click to view, print and link to recipes.

Weekly meal planner_3-17

This is a less than exciting plan this week, but it was a busy weekend, so I just went with some tried and true recipes. Friday nights are always Friday Family Fun Night at our house, and my daughter wants “breakfast dinner”. I’ll likely make some protein pancakes for me and whoever wants them, and another batch of the old-fashioned sort that she likes.

Other than that…it’s a bunch of repeats and things that I know are quick, crowd-pleasers. I’ll try to find some new, fun recipes for next week. I like to keep a blank copy of the meal plan out and accessible throughout the week, so that when I’m inspired, I can quick jot it down before I forget.

I hope your meals are planned for the week, and that your week is a good one. 🙂