Healthy Vacation

I am sure all of you were wondering where I have been the past week..... well I was in Disney World! My entire family went down for some much needed vacation, and had such a wonderful time. Disney is such a magical place with so much to do, I may have came home more exhausted then before I left. We went to Hollywood Studios, Blizzard Beach, Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Epcot.

I know we all dread the unwanted pounds that come along with a week vacation but I am here to share some secrets to help you loose weight while you are gone.

Each morning I enjoyed a bowl of fruit, 2 poached eggs (a great option since it is cooked in water without oil or butter) and a plain English muffin. A larger breakfast than usual, but it actually held me over until dinner so I could skip lunch. We also stopped at a local grocery store and I picked up Organic Mochi rice cakes and water for snacks throughout the week.

Then when dinner came I ordered a salad or french onion soup (without cheese or bread) to fill up before my meal. Then ordered off the appetizer menu to keep portions in check.

The best part was all the walking each day, plus many of the parks have fruit stands which is awesome!!

So as the holidays come upon us and we all travel or enjoy time with loved ones just remember to get up a little earlier for a long walk or bike ride. And don't forget to fill up on fruits/vegs/broth soups to keep you satisfied and making good choices throughout the day.

Have a healthy and happy holiday!!!!

DIY Bath Scrub

This super easy bath scrub its great for winter skin!

1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of raw oatmeal
1 cup of olive oil

Thats it!!!!

Microwaves... are they safe?

I remember the day when I would turn to the microwave to cook everything. It just made life easier! Over the last few years however, I have turned away from the microware and started using the stove top to reheat or cook food to ensure that the nutrients of my food was not decreasing. When you stop and think about it, a machine that zaps your food in 30 seconds can't be healthy. Plus the articles on the dangers are endless.

I wanted to share something real and tangible to explain the dangers of a microwave. These photos are from a a little girls science project in 2006. In it she took filtered water and divided it into 2 parts. The first part she heated to boiling in a pan on the stove, the second she heated to boiling in the microwave.

Then after cooling she used the water to water 2 identical plants to see if their would be any difference in the growth between the water boiled on the stove and the water boiled in the microwave. See below for results.  

The results are astonishing! As you may have read microwaves corrupt the DNA in food so the body can no longer recognize it. The body wraps it in fat cells to protect itself from the dead food or eliminates it fast. I understand the makers, and doctors say microwaves are safe so I will not tell you what to do but my recommendation is to remember the plants, we are living beings as well.

source: snopes.com

Cranberry Apple Orange Vinaigrette

The dressing I made for Thanksgiving turned out GREAT! I decided to make a cranberry apple orange vinaigrette to top a beautiful fall salad (mixed greens, sliced apples & pears, pomegrantes, toasted walnuts and feta cheese).

This recipe yields just over 1 1/4 cups and is so simple to make.

Ingredients
1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries (I used fresh)
1/4 cup + 2 TB apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or adjust to taste
1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup + 1 TB fresh clementine or Orange juice (can use bottled)
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt or to taste (I didn't end up using all this salt)
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a medium pot, heat cranberries, maple syrup and vinegar over medium heat until the cranberries burst, about 7-10 minutes
2. Slightly cool cranberry mixture and place in a blender along with the rest of the ingredients (except S&P). Blend until smooth. Now add salt 1/4 tsp at a time to taste and blend again. Adjust other ingredients if necessary at this time. I like this dressing with a bit of tart taste to let the cranberries shine but you can always add more syrup if you want. Should keep 5-7 days in the fridge in an air tight container.

Source: Oh She Glows

Miso Soup

Ever wonder what I eat on a daily basis? Well this tiny packet of Miso Soup is a staple in my house. Similar to a packet of hot chocolate just add 2/3-1 cup of boiling water and you have soup!  The soup is made from a blend of real white and red miso and firm tofu and can be found at most grocery stores. At 35 calories a packet its the great addition to every meal. I usually enjoy this soup before my main meal to help fill me up and to help over eating.

Vegan Mayo?

If you have never tried Vegenaise add it to your next shopping list!!! This vegan mayo tastes so much like traditional mayo you won't even taste the difference. This spread is a dairy free eggless mayonnaise alternative with no cholesterol and non GMO. They are made with in a solar powered facility with wholesome ingredients such as Organic Expeller-Pressed Soy Oil, Filtered Water, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Organic Soy Protein, Sea Salt, Organic Mustard, Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate.

Yay for healthy & tasty alternatives :)

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Garlic- Cilantro Shrimp Rotini

Wow this holiday season has been soooo busy and its only Dec 3rd! Sorry for the lack of posts but I am back with this super easy recipe from clean eating magazine! This little dish takes minutes to prepare but has a very fancy presentation for dinner parties. Enjoy!

Garlic- Cilantro Shrimp Rotini

Serves 4

 

Ingredients

2 cups fresh cliantro

1 tsp dired oregano

3 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (can add less if you want it less spicy)

1/3 cup olive oil

2 1/2 TB red wine vinegar

sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

8 oz whole wheat rotini pasta

20 medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

 

Instructions

1. Preheat broiler to high, line a large baking sheet with foil
2. Prepare sauce- in the bowl of a food processor pluse cilanto, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes until combined. While food processor is running add oil and vinegar. Stir in salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Cook pasta according to package and set aside
4. Arrange shrimp on sheet, transfer to oven and broil 3-5 mins turning once until pink.
5. In a large saucepan on medium add pasta and sauce mixture cooking, stirring for 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low add shrimp and stir combine.