My Slow Return to Blogging and A Small Change in Content

Hello, hello....it's been a while!  My job got the best of me and required my full attention to where I just wasn't able to fit blogging in.  After long days at work, I'd push myself through workouts and try to spend more time with Kelley.

 

It's still pretty busy and I am enjoying my time with Kelley too much to just come back full throttle like before.  Now, I'd like to post more of my thoughts and not stress so much about having healthy recipes with each post.  This will become more of what's on my mind in the health world.

 

I am working on increasing my strength while not losing too much of my conditioning from when I just ran a lot.  I decreased how much I run and do more explosive-type exercises after some heavy lifting.

 

Trying to find a good routine that combines both has proven harder than I expected and I seem to burn myself out a lot.  I'm taking this week as a deload week but find I'm still doing more metcon (Crossfit WOD) kind of work outs. Although I'm not lifting heavy, these met-cons are still pretty intense.

 

I only keep a hand-written log of my workouts, but plan to share here on my blog now.  If you are reading this and ever have any advice or questions, please comment away and I'll be sure to respond.  Starting soon, I will post some of my daily eats and workouts along with anything on my mind.

 

I won't stress to take pictures of everything I do right now, but if I have something to share, I'll share it. To any of my followers or anyone just now stumbling on to this blog, I hope you come back to read more.  Please send any suggestions and let me know what you do/don't like about my proposed changes.

 

Until next time.....have a great day and keep healthy and fit!

WIAW #33 Kevita Sparkling Probiotic Drink Review - A Liquid Treat!

Are you craving something clean, refreshing, a little bubbly, and healthful to boot?  No, it's not kombucha, I've got something else you need to try....Kevita Sparkling Probiotic Drinks!

Like kombucha, these are loaded with stomach pleasing probiotics and not loaded with sugar like I do see in kombucha drinks. Plus, they even add apple cider vinegar which I'm a fan of already. Kevita has several coconut flavors sweetened with stevia and I stuck to only trying these. There are some flavors with higher sugar content, but I liked the coconut versions having only 10 to 20 calories for the whole bottle.

When not drinking plain water, these are the ingredients I like to see in a beverage!

Since my meal pictures are still lacking, I am focusing more on this fun filled "treat" that's not spooky in the slightest. Sorry for deviating from the normal What I Ate Wednesday procedures, but sometimes you just have to change it up.  Plus, these Kevita drinks are worth talking about. I do want to give a great, big thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting as usual; now go on over and pay her a visit!!


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I had the Mango Coconut first thing in the morning on an empty stomach instead of my morning coffee. The result? I felt more energized by this caffeine-free beverage than my big mug o'coffee; and no stomach pains either! Win! I wanted to go and be outdoors all day with this in my body, but I had to go to work instead...boo.  Fortunately, I was able to focus on my work better, so I'll take that for now.

I brought the Strawberry Acai Coconut one to work for a special beverage to enjoy with my lunch and again, I just felt good all over.  Plus, I work standing up and eating lunch can be a chore, but at least the drink was no problem!

My favorite is the pure Coconut Kevita with it's clean, effervescent taste that just makes you feel....good. The other flavors look and sound like they'd be tasty treats too, and their sugar content is the same as or less than kombucha.  If you are looking for a cleaner, crispier alternative to the more pungent probiotic drinks, look no further than Kevita Sparkling Probiotic Drinks.

Pick one up next time you're at the store, and let me know your thoughts.  Have you already tried these?  If so, what's your favorite flavor?

 

Oh, and here's a quick look at some of my eats....

 

 



[B] Spicy Carrot and Cauliflower Dip; iced black tea with vanilla rooibos; [S] Drew's Salsa and goat cheese crackers with green tea; [L] Medley of steamed veggies and Wild Planet Tuna topped with Drew's Salsa; Zevia to wash it all down; [D] Huge salad with radishes and grilled chicken topped with salsa; [D2] Chocolate delicata squash and spinach smoothie with pistachios, PB; then a cup of chocolate protein overnight oats...for good measure ; )

Happy WIAW, hope you have a great a week and your Fall is filled with pumpkins and apples!

WIAW #29 Why Some Good Habits Can Be Bad

Too much of a good thing can definitely be bad.  Although it sounds like crazy talk, too much creamy and delicious peanut butter is grounds for an upset stomach and possibly worse. Same goes for exercise; an excessive amount can be and is detrimental to your body.

Some how, some way, we can find a special balance for healthy living, but how? Well, for me, it's a work in progress.  Having just been told to lay off the gluten and dairy has added an extra hurdle in my race to find a balance.  Not a big hurdle, mind you, since my diet consists mostly of fruits, veggies, legumes, nuts, fish, and lean meats. But it's an obstacle nonetheless.

Greek yogurt is the hardest thing to omit.  I could polish off a 32oz. container of Plain, Non-fat CHO in one sitting! Share? Unheard of! I've cut out organic skim milk and only use unsweetened almond milk and sometimes soy.  As for the Greek yogurt, my consumption is greatly reduced, but I still have some every so often.

This used to be a work week's worth supply....
*insert sad face*

My biggest issue now is the constant stomach/digestive issues I've been having. I thought it's all related to my gluten and/or dairy intolerance, but I still get pretty bad.  Sorry, Kelley, and anyone else around me!

Anxiety can be a major culprit of upset stomach issues and I think this is part of my problem too. I let work and life issues worry me way too much.  Why is that?  We have this life to live and I need to learn to just enjoy each moment without worrying about the past or future.  If you have any tips that don't include drugs or alcohol, please share.

Along with changing parts of my diet, I am trying to find a balance with exercise.  I feel I must workout everyday and the routine I'm following doesn't seem enough.  I find myself adding extra stuff before or after and constantly searching for more ways to get my heart going.  This, of course, compounds the stress and anxiety; one more thing for me to work on.

So, my habits that I thought were good in the past, have contributed to my gluten intolerance, me feeling burnt out physically and mentally, and having crazy digestive issues! How "good" is that?

What I ultimately want is to be able to have TIME to do everything.  I want to enjoy peaceful time with my wife, Kelley, just watching a movie and visiting with our families.  All while not being so concerned about what food to have or take along or how I will be able to fit in a workout.

Progress is being made, I think, and it seems to be a day to day thing I will deal with.  To the others out there, how do you tackle these issues in your life? Don't get me wrong, I'm not just some unhappy guy drudging through life, I do enjoy life and spending time with Kelley and others, but I need to MORE.

Good and bad habits aside, I think it's time for a little something we all know and enjoy....What I Ate Wednesday! Thank you, Jenn, for creating and hosting these awesome WIAW events! I've still been lacking in the picture taking department, so I'll post some new and some recycled photos.

Breakfast

Egg white omelette with bell peppers and goat cheese; Navitas Naturals Cocao powder infused coffee

Lunch

Green cabbage and spinach stir-fry with egg whites; green tea with stevia; Chocolate overnight oat crisps

Dinner

Cucumber and red pepper salad with sliced smoked turkey deli meat; Coconut protein granola; my own version of STUFT Mama's Coconut Cookie Dough Crumble. I made mine creamier and added more protein powder, peanut flour, pumpkin puree, unsweetened almond milk, and cottage cheese. So basically, it's not a crumble and the only thing similar is some coconut flour. But it inspired me!

So, things aren't so bad when you have good, healthy food and the comfort of a loving wife and family.  Luckily, I have all of those, so everything will be fine here.

How do you cope in times of stress and anxiety?

Any tips on relieving gastrointestinal distress?

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for Navitas Naturals Cacao and Lucuma Powder; it ends this Friday, 9/21!!

Happy WIAW, Have a Great Week!

Meatless Monday Microwave Frittata

Do you still eat fish and eggs on Meatless Monday? I mean, eggs aren’t meat, and fish is always classified as “fish” separately from “meat” when used in a sentence together. So, although I try to refrain from fish in observance of Meatless Monday, it might sneak in my meals occasionally.

Did you have a good weekend? I didn’t do much on Saturday, and Sunday was cook and mow the lawn day. Fun. We did pack the 3 bikes (1 road bike, 1 mountain bike, and Kelley’s mountain bike) that were in our garage into our car and sold them…..for way too cheap. I hated doing it, they were nice Giant brand bikes with some pricey components, but I don’t ride like I used to, so it was time to sell.

I want to buy a decent hybrid bike that I can use to ride to work (when it’s not 100+ here) and take it on a smooth off-road path if I so desire. Anyone else like to ride? Do you have any suggestions for a good all around bike?

Since my typical Sunday of trying to prepare 5 meals each for Kelley and me to take to work, experiment with at least 2 recipes, make a big bowl of healthy dessert dip to enjoy throughout the week, mow the lawn, and get a work out in, I sometimes forget to actually eat. You would think standing in the kitchen for hours and being surrounded by food would have me constantly eating, but my head is too wrapped up in everything I want to make!

Do you have that problem, or do you find yourself snacking and sampling your creations? Anywho, I was in need of something good, something quick, and obviously healthy; so I looked to the mighty microwave for help.

With half a bag of cut okra and a few carrots begging to be used, I microwave steamed the two in a somewhat shallow bowl. Not really looking like the okra and carrots would fill me up (surprise!), I added 3 egg whites and a little Artisana Coconut Oil right in the bowl. I don’t skimp on the seasonings, so after spicing the mix up, I put it back in the microwave for a minute. Another 30 seconds after that, and I had a healthy and tasty microwave “frittata.”

Artisana sent me several sample packs to try and review, and the coconut butter and oil are FAN-tastic! I can’t believe it took me this long to try the stuff! Anyway, keep an eye out for my review coming soon to a blog near you…..mine.

If eggs are on your acceptable list today, give this easy, healthy, and highly customizable dish a try; you’ll be happy you did!

Microwave Veggie Fritatta

by RC Liley

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 6-8 minutes

Ingredients (Serves 1)

• 1.5 cups of frozen or fresh veggies of choice
• 3 egg whites
• A dash each of cumin, black pepper, dried basil, chili powder, and cayenne
• 1/2 tbsp Artisana Coconut Oil
• Favorite salsa and hot sauce for topping

Instructions

Microwave steam your veggies. I used cut okra and carrots, covered in a microwave-safe bowl and cooked for 5 1/2 minutes.

Add spices, egg whites, and coconut oil to your veggies and stir to combine.

Microwave uncovered for 1 minute 25 seconds.

Turn bowl to bring any uncooked egg to the side and cook another 45 seconds.

Remove from bowl* or eat in bowl using salsa and hot sauce as toppings.

Enjoy! This could be turned into a tasty veggie and egg sandwich too....maybe next time?

*You may need to coat your bowl with cooking spray to keep from sticking. I didn't use any and the fritatta came out easy, but just a note.

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After making a frittata in the microwave, I’m starting to question what else I could make in the “hot box.”


Q: Do you have any favorite microwave recipes? Please share what you have as I obviously love microwave cooking!

15 Fun Facts for Friday: Bananas

We all know and love bananas...right?  Well, most of us do.  In an attempt to make a quick, but interesting post, I wanted to share this list of 15 Facts You Probaly Didn't Know About Bananas.  Have a look; that's scary to think a fungus could wipe out the whole banana population.

Imagine, a world without bananas.....

No peanut butter and banana sandwiches or wraps. : (
No mashed banana to make Low-fat Peanut Butter Bread. : (
No cool and creamy easy banana ice cream. : (
No chocolate peanut butter banana smoothies. : O
And the list can go on and on...


I enjoy bananas, and from the other bloggers I read out there, you like them too.  Here's a post I made a while back on banana benefits and how to enjoy them. Sometimes, I just unwrap a banana, mash several dry roasted almonds inside, and then proceed to eat.  I'll do this when there's no peanut butter around or when I want a sweet, salty, and crunchy treat.

Q: How do you enjoy using bananas?  If you don't like them, is it allergies or just plain repulsed by the green/yellow/black-spotted yellow fruit?

Microwave Protein Cinnamon Bread



Can you believe something so soft and light came from a bowl that was microwaved? Well, believe it!

Ever want to make your own bread but don't want to wait for yeast to proof, dough to rise, then punching the dough down, and letting rise again? What if you could just make your own healthy bread loaf in minutes?  Well, you can, and it's super easy!

I had some leftover overnight oat bran and decided to mix some egg, cinnamon, protein powder, and stevia to give the bread a shot.  The result was nothing less than soft, fabulous protein bread that knocks any store-bought bread out of the water!

Mixing in the protein powder. A glass bowl works best for this.

Microwaves, when you think about it, are pretty darn cool.  They definitetly are not meant for shabby frozen packaged meals. Unless you like dull, unhealthy, high sodium, and unpronounceable ingredients in your meals, use the microwave for quick steaming veggies.....and making this bread!

Before microwaving....obviously

Change it up to suit your tastes/preferences too.  Maybe add ginger, nutmeg, and clove for a perfect pumpkin spice bread.  Or, mix in cocoa powder for, well, chocolate protein bread.

After the initial cooking.  I actually flipped it over in the bowl and cooked the bottom another minute since it was a little soggy.

The soft and moist consistency of this bread makes it a pleasure to eat alone, but spread with a good jam and nut butter never hurts. I like to stir a little peanut butter into plain, 0% Greek yogurt and use for an extra protein punch with flavor!

Choose your spread for this bread and let me know how you like it.  Tell the yeast you're sorry; maybe they can eat sugar and fart expel their gases in dough another day, when you have more time.



Sliced and ready for peanut butter, jam, maybe even honey ham....hmmm. Or just plain!



 

Microwave Cinnamon Protein Bread Loaf

by RC Liley

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 5 min

Ingredients (1 Small Loaf in a Bowl)

• 1/2 cup oat bran
• 3 T pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp chia seeds; can omit and add another tablespoon of oat bran
• 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
• 1/4 cup + 2 T egg whites
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 packets stevia or 15 drops of liquid stevia
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• Scant dash of salt

Instructions

Add everything to a microwave safe bowl or mix in one bowl and pour into a microwave safe bowl; I used a glass bowl since it helps the heat waves to go through for even cooking.

Microwave for 4 – 5 minutes depending on how old your nuke-box is; I microwaved for 4 min and then flip the bread to cook another minute

Let cool in bowl for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool another 5 minutes

Slice or just eat it like a savage taking giant bites out at a time…..I won’t judge

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Portobello Mushroom....Birthday Cake?

Yesterday, Friday, was my 28th birthday.....whoopee....  I spent most of the day at work, though, and not much else.  My mom came over and we just enjoyed each other's company while sharing life stories.

Since Kelley and I work in the same office, she was able to give my co-workers good gift ideas.  I usually despise b-day (or any other) celebrations at work since healthy food choices are about as common as a vegetarian in a steakhouse. But Kelley and my friends/co-workers pulled through and surprised me with the best gifts I could as for, fresh produce!

My boss/friend scheduled an afternoon "business" meeting for our team, and while waiting in the meeting room, they entered with the best "cake" ever; a portobello mushroom with a candle in the middle.

Just look at it, so simple, but so good!  I don't eat a lot of things with sugar anymore, and cake is just not an option for me, but they brought carrot cake so they could have something too.  More mushroom for me!

I also received a bunch of carrots, dry roasted edamame, and sliced cremini and shitake mushrooms. Basically must-have foods in our home (for me, can't get Kelley into the 'shrooms), most of my friends/co-workers saw me radiate with delight from their gifts.  To them, it's mushrooms and carrots, but to me it's MUSHROOMS AND CARROTS! See the difference? Do you experience the same thing with people in your life?

Although simple foods, that's all I really want since I can't stand food that I didn't get to have a say in or know exactly how it's prepared. Me? Obsessive and nit-picky? Yes! I have no shame when it comes to what I put in my body.  If I want the turbo to spool at full potential, I want the 100+ octane fuel, not 87.

I'd like to sincerely thank my co-workers for the kind gifts as they are exactly what I'd want.  Their simple gift of produce helped make this the best birthday I've had in a while!

Kelley got a me a new Cuisinart food processor that I can't wait to use to, well, process foods with.  I've been using the food processor my mom got in 1991 for her wedding, so it's just a little outdated. Hopefully you'll see more healthy recipes created from my new processor.  Do you have any ideas of what I should make for my first processed creation?  Maybe no-bake peanut butter cookies or a tuna veggie combo to make tuna cakes?

No worries, I'll just do them all; it's a win-win! While in PA, my mom brought one of her exercise DVD's called "Tabata Inferno" that I tried a few times.  It was enough to get my daily dose of intensity to keep me sane and it was something different than just running.

Being the wonderful mother she is, she saw how I enjoyed the video and bought me the complete DVD set for my birthday.  This is pretty cool and will be useful for my "rest" days from strength training. She gave me 2 six packs of local brews and cool turtle figurine too. I like turtles and have a nice collection going on now!

I'm currently trying to gain strength, and therefore weight, but being a former fat kid, this is not as easy as it sounds. Trying "bulk" when so many of my food choices are low calorie veggies that fill me up before I even come close to a calorie surplus.  A quick solution to this problem would be  more dense foods like, say peanut butter! I just received a few jars of PB Crave to review, so I'll just get a jar and spoon and see what happens!

Kelley agreed to give me the whole weekend to celebrate my birthday, so we're going to the Texas Motor Speedway for some rally and Indy racing today.  Afterward, we'll rent the best thing Redbox has to offer and have a nice evening together.  I think tomorrow will be when I put the processor to use. Can you sense my excitement?

Q:  Do you "let go" on your b-day and eat things you normally wouldn't or are you unwavering 24/7?


I have read too many labels to ever be able to enjoy most "treats" now, but am perfectly happy making my own at home. I consider extra PB my treat though!

WIAW #13 Steamed Veggies Have Taken Over My Diet!

Vacations are great; time spent away from work and with people you love help you forget the daily stresses and relax (hopefully).  But then there's the dreaded end of vacation where the little worries start popping back into your head and you dread the return to routine. I'm sure most of you know what I'm talking about, and I have some of that feeling now.

From Left: Me, Kelley, and my Grandma on a visit to Baltimore, Maryland.

This can really zap the motivation to cook right out of me.  Do you ever get this feeling? Luckily, I am set in my ways and determined to make healthy choices.  Thank goodness there's frozen produce to fall back on!

Although most of my vacation eats entailed steamed veggies at grandma's house, I thoroughly enjoy eating these and haven't grown tired of them yet. Upon our return home, I gathered several bags of Earth's various frozen gifts and quickly created meals for our shortened work week lunches.  Since veggies reign supreme in our home, I had extras for breakfast and dinner too.

These may not be extravagant foods, but they sure are healthy and I feel they keep my ticker ticking better than the person in a McDonald's line.  No offense if you're one of those people, I just chose Mickey D's, but it could be any fast food chain.

With that said, I'm home and ready for another What I Ate Wednesday post! Happy WIAW!

Breakfast – Microwave scrambled egg whites mixed with a generous medley of steamed beans and veggies. I seasoned everything with pepper, cayenne, cumin, garlic powder, and dill. See that full cup of coffee? I didn't need that to wake me up for the morning, the spice was good enough....but no need to waste good coffee, I drank that too.

Snack – Unique Sprouted Whole Grain Pretzels I brought back from PA and green tea. I'm pretty sure all the best pretzels and made in PA; even the smallest convenience store has at least 4 different brands to choose from! Mmmm, pretzels are my Prozac; they're comforting crunch and salty goodness flips the "I'm stressed" switch to OFF.

Lunch – Spicy chilled quinoa and vegetable bean salad; organic golden delicious apple; baby carrots and baby bok choy

Snack – Ugh, back to work after being gone for over a week; no snack today.

Dinner – Even more steamed veggies (not complaining, really); the Brussels Sprouts were green globes of goodness satisfying both my sweet and savory taste buds; Baby Bok Choy Lump Crab Sliders (recipe to come soon....it's easy); chocolate squash protein smoothie; plain non-fat Chobani Greek yogurt with dry roasted almonds.

Awesome! That was a lot of vegetables and I am not complaining one bit.  The best part is that there are so many vegetables to try that it's hard to truly get bored of them, despite what some people say or think.  So many friends and family talk as if it's hard to eat like me, but after slowly making the change from packaged foods to whole foods, it becomes second nature.

I've read enough ingredient labels and food articles to view a slice of chocolate cake at a restaurant as nothing more than a combo of hydrogenated oils, sugar, corn starch, more sugar, and a little crap.

My apologies if you think I'm being too harsh, it's just a topic I'm passionate about and don't like to hold anything back when discussing it.

Don't forget to comment on this post for your chance to win a coupon for a free Zevia 6 Pack of your choice.

Q:  Do you feel passionate about a certain food, food group, or diet?  How do you proceed to explain when talking about it with others who don't understand?

Simple Joy of Healthy Cereal

Cereal, whether hot or cold, crunchy or soggy, healthy or sugary, is a comforting food anytime of day. I’m a proclaimed cereal lover and tend to err on the healthy side the majority of the time. Cereal is my go-to food for a snack/second meal at night, and has been for a couple years now. I will only eat a cereal with whole grain ingredients and nothing over 6 grams of sugar per serving. Stick to these guidelines alone, and you’ll have some tasty options that won’t hurt your health or wallet.


Eat it dry, with milk, almond milk, or yogurt. Mix in fresh or frozen fruit with a few slivered almonds, toasted walnuts, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, or whatever nut/seed you prefer. With these things added to a whole grain cereal, it makes for a quick and healthy meal the whole family can enjoy. Make it a fun weekend event with several cereals to choose from along with an assortment of fruits and nuts for each friend or family member create their own mix. This is a great way to get kids to eat healthy without realizing; just make sure you control the cereals offered.

Here’s a look at a few of my favorite cereals. These are the ones I stick to most often, and will select by what’s on sale at the time.

Nature’s Path Heritage Bites

We are subscribed to have a case shipped to us from Amazon and go through them very fast! So good as a snack and in cold milk with berries or banana.

Website -http://www.naturespath.com/

      Arrowhead Mills Puffed Cereals 

My favorite is the Kamut as it is great to mix with the Kashi GoLean or eat alone. No added sugar and whole grain is a big plus. The wheat is my least favorite as it had an off taste to it. All other varieties make for a great treat alone or mixed with a lightly sweetened and crunchy cereal. Website -http://www.arrowheadmills.com/

Kashi GoLean

Not the best finger snack food as the pieces are small, but this cereal has high protein and fiber and will stay crunchy for a long time. Beware, the GoLean Crunch variety is tasty, but has a good amount of added sugar. If you must have the “Crunch,” try mixing with another low sugar cereal like the Arrowhead Mills Puffed varieties to reduce the sugar content. Website - http://www.kashi.com/

Even better with fresh blueberries!

Barbara’s Shredded Spoonfuls
I’d say this is currently my top favorite cereal. Barbara’s is a great company that supports great causes. Each part of your purchase will go to one of their supported charities. The spoonfuls offer just the right amount of sweetness (from molasses) and crunch that’s good eaten with a spoon in milk or right out of the box. Website - http://www.barbarasbakery.com/

Plain Rolled Oats

Rolled Oats are basically a blank slate to prepare however you want. Cook in your favorite type of milk or just water, sweeten to your liking, add nuts, peanut butter, squash puree, yogurt, fruit, etc and enjoy. Hot oatmeal on a cold day is always comforting and nutritious, but you can let oats soak in milk or water overnight and enjoy right from the fridge the next day.

Remember; always check ingredients for “whole grain” listed as the first thing and hopefully not sugar. Make sure the serving size (normally 3/4 or 1 Cup) has no more than 6 grams of sugar, preferably just 5. This can be used for more than just cereal too, companies can be tricky with their advertising, be cautious of what you feed your body!

Each of the companies I referenced offer an abundant amount of other healthy and not-so-healthy cereals that we can all enjoy. I choose these cereals for their wholesome ingredients and because the companies support the Earth by donating and recycling.

Don’t feel like cooking? Grab a box of wholesome cereal and take it easy for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

For this one…Just “Don’t” Add Cayenne…….that would taste bad in cereal.