Day Four measurements and a fast and fun dinner

I woke up early on Thursday morning and pulled out my tape measure excited to see what the cleanse help me get rid of. So I started with the smallest part of my waist which came in as 30 inches even and right below my bellybutton came in at 37 1/2, I lost an inch in both spots. I am so Happy for the rest of fthe 54 days left. I want to see how much of my new me is going to be revealed.

Dinner for tonight was fast, fun and tasty. I wanted to share this easy chicken dinner that was in my oxygen magazine. I don't always try them because I sometimes think I will starve to death on the meal but this one I couldn't even finish my plate.

Chicken Tenders with Balsamic Vinegar Glaze (From Oxygen Magazine,Feb store issue)

Olive oil cooking spray

12oz chicken tenders

ground black pepper, to taste

1 tsp minced garlic

3 tbsp of Balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp of honey

1/4 cup of low sodium chicken broth

Fresh parsley (optional to garnish)

Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken tenders and season with pepper. Cook, turning pieces halfway through turn over and cokk until done. (about 7 min). Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic and saute then add vinegar, honey and chicken broth. simmer and scrape the bottom of pan for one minute.

Return chicken to pan . Mix all ingredients together and heath through, garnish and serve!

PS: I made buttermilk cornbread and heated a rinsed can of white corn. I needed some sides that was helping to fill the plate.

Hope you enjoy~

Day One measurement and dinner Ideas

So Monday I did my measurements and was shocked with the difference in the two numbers I got. My smallest part of my waist was 31 1/2 inches and just below my belly button I was 38 1/2 inches. I don't know which munber is primary because every where I looked I notice eveyone checks either or that was the reason for me to measure both places. So, tomorrow will be my day four measurements. I cant wait to see if any inches came off yet.

Fried Brussels Sprouts

Case of brussels sprouts (cut in half)
4 slices of bacon ( choped in small slices)
1/2 sweet onion ( finely chopped)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Sea weed salt
and vegetable seasoning

In a large pan add olive oil on medium heat then add the onions. When onions are carmelized add the bacon pieces. let the bacon cook until browning. The bacon has it's own salt. Season the brussels sprouts with the vegetable seasoning add to pan let sook for five minutes. Then add the sea weed salt about a handful. turn the sprouts cook another 5 minutes and our into a serving dish. Very delish and my 7 year old loves it.

Broccoli Soup

1 Loaf of french bread
2 Broccoli bunches (chopped and stems coined)
1 handful of tumeric
1 pinch of coriander
1 whole red oniond (chopped)
2 handfuls of coined carrots (chopped)
2 handfuls of Mushroom (chopped)
1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
galic salt
Fresh pepper
4 cans of vegetable broth
1 cup of coconut milk (or regular milk)

In a large pan add olive oil over medium heat. Once warmed add tumeric, coriander, red onions, carrots, mushrooms. Once soften add the broccoli  and the vegetable broth. while this simmers about 15 minutes you will take you loaf of french bread. Make small cuts and cut into fours. In a bowl drizzle some olive oils on the bread and mix with hands. Then on a large cookie sheet and oven preheated on 425 put the bread on the pan season with a little sea weed salt and fresh pepper and alson garlic salt for best flavoring. let cook for about 10 minutes in oven. About 4 minutes left turn the bread until timer go off. Back to the soup take off heat after 15 minutes and use a hand mixer or a blender and blend until it is looking smooth. While mixing add the coconut milk.

Then enjoy your fast dinner or lunch.

Tasty and Healthy

This quick dinner I call chicken pasta made healthy

1 box of pasta (I always use gluten free)
2 skinless/boneless chicken breast
1teaspoon of olive oil
Handfull of already chopped mushrooms
Handfull of coined carrots
Handfull of mozzarella
Handfull of parmesan
1 teaspoon of coriander
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
2 lemons
2 chopped shallots
3 tablespoons of seaweed salt
any other herbs of your choice.

In a pan or indoor grill season chicken and cook 4-5 min per side.
Once done slice into horizontal pieces. let set until everything is done.
Boil pasta until soft, once done drain drizzle olive oil on pasta while in stariner, add 2 tablespoons of seaweed salt. let set until the other things are heated through.
In a large skillet add a drizle of olive oil in the pan with some minced garlic on medium heat. Then add shallots, mushrooms, coriander and carrots. (make sure all is chopped)makse sure to add tablespoon of seaweed salt to vegetables. Once heated through pour pasta in the large pan as well and mix. Once mixed for about three minutes pour into a serving dish. Once in dish top with the juice of the 2 lemons. top with the chicken pieces mix and then add a handfull of parmesan and handful of mozzarella mix and then serve.
 It is healthy and by  chopping the vegetables people will eat and not know they getting all the benefits of the vegetables.

Strawberry and Blackberry smoothie

1/2 cup of strawberry (I used frozen)
1/2 cup of blackberries ( I used fresh)
2 hand fulls of ice
1/4 cup of milk
3 scoops of sherbet (I used Raspberry)

Mix everything together in blender. Makes two yummy servings.

Hope you enjoy!

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

1/2 cup of strawberries
1 whole banana
3 scoops of sherbert
1/4 cups of milk
2 handfulls of ice
Mix all together in blender. Makes two large and very yummy servings.


Enjoy everyone~

Black Bean Brownies

I know once seeing the title to this post you may thing that I am crazy. I wanted to post this for some time but I have yet to have tried it on my family first. You know I want to be honest to you about the things I post. So last night I made them while everyone was gone and I had them ready to eat after dinner. Not only did they destroy them in a matter of minutes and wanted a second helping. I knew I just had to tell you guys.

The taste was so chocolaty and it was very soft. There was no trace of the beans at all. When told the brownies were made from black beans no one believed me. You may experience a bit of flatulence afterwards but what do you expect you are eating a protein and fiber bar in a sense. I know all brownies from now on will be black bean brownies.

Black Bean Brownies made easy:

1 box of brownie mix (use your favorite this brownie is going to be packed with nutrients)
1 15oz. can of clack beans
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of chocolate chips (I used half dark half semi-sweet)

In a blender or food processor add washed black beans and the water, make sure they are pureed almost a smooth liquid.
Mix with brownie mix blend with mixed
(you can add chocolate chips in mix or on top)
Pour into pan and put in preheated oven (350)
Bake for 30 min in a 9x13 pan.
Wait until completely cooled then enjoy!

You can adjust the brownies any way you feel. This is how I made it.

Healthy Easy Dinner

This is a healthy twist to an everyday meal. Changing to a healthy lifestyle do not have to be torture it is all about tweeking things here and there and still being satisfied.





Penne Pasta Meal

1 box of gluten free pasta
1 pack of ground turkey
1 jar of favorite pasta sauce
1 chopped green pepper
1 shallot
1/2 red onion
2 whole green onion/scallion
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of turmeric
2 teaspoon of seaweed salt
1 teaspoon of Oregano
2 cap fulls of olive oil
2 hand fulls of Parmesan cheese
and any other spice you would like to add

Boil pasta
while boiling pasta in a separate pan
add olive oil on medium heat and the minced garlic
add meat, when meat is brown add all other ingredients.
When pasta is soft add to pan with all ingredients and add pasta sauce.
Top with Parmesan
mix well and serve.

Cutting The Waist Challenge Pt. 2

Today I am going to explain in a bit more details the expectations during the challenge and the first 4 days of the 4 Day Diet. The foods listed can be used during the 4 days. You can alter them accoring to your shopping areas. I recommend following to your best ability for best results. We are all in this challenge to help jump start our new healthy lifestyle.

RULES:

Take measurements on day 1, 4, and 60.
Weight is not the main focus in this challenge.
Make shopping lists each week to keep your focus.
Drink 2 liters of water a day. (8 glasses)
Must dedicate a min. of 30 minutes of being active : walking, yoga, running etc.
Try to get as close to 8 hours of sleep a day.
Try new fruits and vegetables during this challenge and do a review if you would like to.
Try to incorporate your whole family with your meal plan.
We all support each other.
Inform us of falling off the wagon, we are here to encourage you to be at your best.

















During the 4 day cleanse you are allowed to eat from this list or anything similar to it. Enjoy!


2 cups of coffee a day
Dark green leafy vegetables
Fruit and vegetables
Brown rice and pasta
Water
Lemons
Berries
Eggs
Green tea
Chickpeas
Yogurt
Cabbage soup
Broccoli
garlic
Berry smoothies

Simple Smoothie Recipe:
Berries of choice
cup of Orange juice
Ice
Blend ~ Enjoy

Also, look into buying liquid flax seed oil. Use it to top your food after it is prepared. Keeps joints moving smoothly, omega 3-6 into your diets, it has no flavor.


Much Love to you all
~NiNi~

Cutting the Waist 60 day Challenge

Today I woke up tired and in the mind set of just wanting to lay around and eat some fresh baked cookies. This is so not how I wanted to start my new year but as everyone can relate to, we want to lose weight and be at our best with little to no hardship. This year has to be different, I want to be able to have a New Years Resolution of something other than losing weight. I want to enter 2011 a brand new healthy me and with a different resolution.

This year is going to be my year of "Growing Into A New Me" I think this will be a great year of change. I am at a point in life where I really need to make my adult me complete. My first goal is to be at my physical best. I have always been into watching and reading things about health. I am a big fan of Dr. Oz, Dr, Ian and Dr. Gillian Mckeith I have watched them for years. The one thing these doctors have in common is not what we weigh but what size our waist are. I have never paid much attention to it because I just thought that if I reach my goal weight I will have the best body ever.... NOT.... my body may look nice but how healthy would my insides be? So, this year I am going to worry about being healthy on the inside out. Therefore Starting Jan 18th (Monday) I will be doing a challenge called "Cutting The Waist Challenge."

First part of this challenge is for us to take our height in inches add 5 to it and then divide in half, that is what our waist goals should be. So, let's take that and minimize our scale hopping for 60 days. I want this challenge to not be a diet but an introduction to living a healthier lifestyle. So, no hunger is the goal. we will eat, not feel hungry, fulfill our sweet tooth's desire and lose inches at the same time. During the challenge I will show grocery hauls, simple meals and treats that are yummy. Everything will be yummy. If you guys have any recipes post them for everyone to try. You can also make a youtube video I will add to my blog to make it a bit more simple. Also, take your measurements on day one and day 4 ( after we follow my version of Dr. Ian's 4 day cleanse) then on day 60.

I am wishing everyone a happy new year and a happy new lifestyle. Also, check out my friends blog as well poownow.blogspot.com she has great ideas as well and we all should support each other in this year because we are all on this ship together!

Much love to you all,

~NiNi~