Still Bringin' It....Slightly

Wow, we've already made it to "recovery" week. Don't let the name fool you... it doesn't mean it's gonna be easy. This week is full of core synergistics, kenpo, and yoga. Oh, dreaded yoga....I can't begin to tell you how much I dislike doing yoga. So when I found out that we would be doing it multiple times this week rather than ONCE, I was a bit disappointed. The second time we played the video I fell asleep while doing one of the stretches and slept until the video was over. Granted, it was about 11 pm so I was already sleepy anyway. But falling asleep during a work-out? Come on! Some of the stretches in yoga can be very relaxing, but for the most part I find it very boring. I'm more of a cardio girl. I love doing upbeat exercises that get my heart rate up like aerobics, step, or dancing. But somehow I'll find a way to make it through the (what seems like a million) downward dog positions.
Last night instead of doing yoga I broke out my old Tae-Bo tape just for fun. After doing P90X for 3 weeks, this Tae-Bo business was like a piece of cake. I mean, 25 minutes versus an hour+ is a dramatic difference. Plus, the Tae-Bo moves just felt a little too easy for me. It's nothing now.
So far I haven't seen an enormous difference, although I can definitely FEEL a change in my body. Yes, I am getting toned under that layer of fat. :) I feel stronger and more energetic. So that's good. I think if I was sticking to my diet better I'd see more physical results. Okay, let's be honest here. I love food and I hate depriving myself, especially when it comes to sweets. I truly have been eating better, but there have been a few days of overindulgence. Two weeks ago...chocolate fountain at the baby shower ring a bell? But seriously, how can I NOT have a little dip when there's a chocolate fountain in front of me? Then there was the IHOP incident where all of Mike's family got together before Danny's MTC drop-off. You're not going to find anything healthy on that menu, am I right? And in a moment of weakness I ate a flauta Bajio salad. Ah.... it was good though! I've been keeping a food journal and it has been helpful. It's kind of a pain to write everything down but in the end I get to see just what I'm putting into my body. Before this diet I was kind of oblivious to what I consumed. And I was also totally unaware of how much the little things could add up. A tablespoon of butter on toast, a few tablespoons of salad dressing, a handful of chocolate chips, a few tablespoons of oil in my stir-fry.... those little things add up fast. Mike and I have been eating SO much better though. More vegetables, fish instead of red meat, more soy, whole grain breads, skim milk, fat-free cheeses, egg whites without yolks, less sugar, and drinking more water. I feel better than I have in a long time and that's what I've got to remember every time I feel like eating a Krispy Kreme or a handful of M&Ms. As the saying on Sheldon and Michelle's fridge used to read: "More control, lose the roll." I better keep that in mind!

P90X Coleslaw

I'm a big fan of coleslaw so I was excited and curious to taste this recipe since it is uniquely different than a traditional coleslaw recipe. We modified it a little bit which is shown in parentheses. I actually liked the way this slaw turned out. The only problem for me is that it seemed too onion-y, so I would use less red onion, but that's just me.


Ingredients:

3 cups green cabbage, shredded

1 cup red cabbage, shredded

1 cup jicama, julienned (Jicama can be found in most grocery stores near the potatoes and onions. That's exactly what it tastes like to me too: a mix of potato, onion, and apple. It gives this salad more crunch.)

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

2 Red Delicious apples, finely diced (We used Cameo apples, which Mike and I agree are superior to all the other apples.)

1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise (We used regular mayo here. I don't much like the after-taste of fat-free foods. And you know, if they take out the fat they've got to replace it with something else anyway. So, if I'm going to eat something like mayo, or ice cream, or a cookie, I'd rather eat the real deal in a smaller portion than a lot of the fake stuff. But again, that's just me. This recipe is designed for people trying to lose weight, so you make the call.)

1/3 cup white vinegar

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fructose (We just used regular sugar.)

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seed

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch white pepper


1. Combine the vegetables and apples in a large bowl and mix well.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and mix well to make dressing.
3. Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss until evenly coated. Cover tightly and chill before serving.

Serves 12

Stirfry Shrimp and Butternut Squash Soup

Another P90X recipe from last week. :)

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
3 cups butternut squash, peeled and seeded
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth, low sodium (or vegetable broth if you prefer)

1. Combine the shallot and garlic in a nonstick saucepan and cook over low heat until traslucent, adding a slittle water if necessary to prevent scorching.
2. Add the squash and chicken broth and simmer utnil the squash is soft, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree.
3. return the soup to the pan and place over medium heat until heated through. Serve.

Serves 3

*This soup just wasn't "soupy" enough for me because it was a bit thick. But the taste wasn't so bad. Really healthy!

Shrimp Stirfry

Ingredients:
8 ounces shrimp, peeled (and deveined if you're like me)
1/4 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/4 cup fat-free chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ginger, minced
1/2 cup red onion, sliced in wedges
1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 1/4 cups snow peas, trimmed
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, halved
1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, cubed
1/4 cup canned water chestnuts, drained
*or you could just do what I did and add a bag of those frozen vegetable mixes*


1. Rinse shrimp and drain well.
2. Heat the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of the chicken broth in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until tender.
3. Add all the vegetables to the pan and continue to saute, stirring and adding more broth as necessary. Add shrimp when the vegetables are halfway cooked and saute until the vegetables are tender and the shrimp opaque.

*The flavor of this was okay, but a few days later I made another shrimp stir-fry that tasted much better to me. I sauted the shrimp in 2 tablespoons of honey butter and added fresh lemon juice to them as well as the vegetables.

"Bring It"

Mike and I just survived our first week of P90X. It was a killer, but oh so good at the same time. Don't know what P90X is? This blog gives a good review. This all started after Mike saw the infomercial. Yes, an infomercial. Don't judge us. He bought it cheap off ebay and so far it's been well worth it. Already we've both seen some results. Not dramatic, but hey, it's only been a week. The key is that we've been eating better too. A lot more protein, less fat, and less carbs. (Not NO carbs, less carbs.) I really dig this program because it doesn't promise a great body in just 10 minutes a day and allow you to eat what you want. It also doesn't cater to one body type. I think that's what appealed to Mike as well. It's not a gimmick or a get fit quick lie. You have to work at it. And trust me, we have been working hard all week lifting weights, doing plyometrics and yoga and making wise food choices. It's been intense, but I feel great. I really do. I didn't think my body would be up to the challenge, but my body is proving me wrong boys and girls. Anyway, we have been making way more meals at home now designed to fit around our personal dietary needs. The books have it all laid out for you. I like it when things are laid out for me because then I don't have to think. :) I have posted some of the recipes on our blog to give you an idea of what we've been eating lately. I'll probably post the ones I think are actually good, so check it once in awhile if you're interested. We have been keeping a food journal to show us what we actually put into our bodies. I know it sounds lame...counting calories and all. But I was surprised at how helpful its been. I've told a few of my friends about it so far, and they say stuff like "I couldn't do that because I love food too much." I love food too. You have no idea what kind of junk food junkie I really am. But somehow I'm still following the plan. This is a big deal coming from me, a person with practically no willpower. I wouldn't even be doing it if it wasn't for Mike. See, a long time ago Mike and I discussed taking a vacation to celebrate after we graduate. We were both going to be involved in the decision making and such, and then about a month ago he told me he wanted to surprise me. (yay, I love surprises!) So he's been making all these summer vacation plans for us, and I have absolutely no idea what we're doing or where we're going. But I have a feeling we might be in bathing suits a lot which would explain why Mike wanted to get P90X in the first place. After I found out about it I was like, "there's no way you're going to look all buff and hot while I look like a white, pasty blob!" So we've been committed to get in better shape, not just for the summer either, but for life hopefully. It's really nice to have someone there doing it with you and keeping you on track, ya know? So, that's why I agreed to do the program with him. And, you know what? I actually like it. So, nice job on that one babe. Just remember to "do your best and forget the rest," as our good friend Tony Horton would say. Oh, and one more thing...don't forget to "BRING IT."

The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship with Food

"It's so beautifully arranged on the plate - you know someone's fingers have been all over it."--- Julia Child

You know what kind of food I'm talking about. Those gourmet meals delightfully assembled with what seems like only aesthetics in mind. I love food like that. But I haven't yet mastered the art of taking good photos of food, let alone non-food objects. I don't have pretty dinnerware, or pretty backgrounds. I envy those who do. There are several food blogs out there with wonderful pictures. Even my sister-in-law has some terrific photos on her food blog. Mine aren't so great...at least not enough to be hailed as "artsy fartsy." So with that disclaimer in mind, here are the pictures:

Grilled Salmon with Lemon-Dill Sauce, Wild Rice and Red Pepper Soup




This recipe came from the P90X meal plan cookbook with a few adjustments for our personal tastes. The meal also called for steamed asparagus but we forgot to pick it up at the market among other things. It would have looked nice on the plate, eh? Everything turned out really well despite that.

Red Pepper Soup

Ingredients
2 cups white wine (I used white grape juice instead)
1 onion, finely chopped
5 roasted red peppers (click on link to learn how to roast red peppers)
2 cups celery, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped (I used Roma tomatoes)
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups fat free chicken broth, low sodium
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon each: ground white pepper and ground cumin
dash salt

1. Heat wine (or wine substitute) in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, red peppers, and celery. Cook and stir.
2. Add tomatoes, tomato past, and broth; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
3. Puree soup in a food processor or blender. Return to the pan, add seasonings, and heat through.
Serves 12 (I cut the recipe in half and gave what we didn't eat to our friends)


Lemon-Dill Sauce

Ingredients
1/2 cup shallots, chopped
2 cups white wine (or white wine substitute)
2 tablespoons arrowroot
2 cups fat-free chicken broth, low sodium
6 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemongrass, minced
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

1. Coat a large saute pan with cooking spray and saute shallots until soft (not brown), moistening with wine if necessary.
2. Dissolve the arrowroot in 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Set aside.
3. Add remaining wine to shallots and reduce by half. Add remaining chicken broth and reduce by half again.
5. Return the sauce to the pan. Add lemon juice and lemongrass and simmer over low heat fora bout 30 minutes, until thick. Strain out the lemongrass and stir in the dill.
6. Drizzle over grilled salmon.