Oh Brad...

My sis and her fam came into town yesterday. I love when that happens. This always means a few things go down.
Laughing.
Eating.
Playing.
Partying.
Frozen Yogurting.
We met up tonight for dinner at a restaurant that is a legendary Provo hot spot, Brick Oven. They are famous for their pizza, but I'm not a huge pizza girl. I go crazy for the salad bar though...

 

I don't know if this photo even does justice of the magnitude that was this salad. I ate every. single. bite. 

The problem with Brick Oven is they only offer one size of salad plate. It's only like a 5 inch plate. So, naturally...I stack it as high as I possibly can. We're talking like a solid five pounds of vegetables. My family was impressed with my construction. It was delicious.

I would love to post more...but I need to go watch the bachelor now. I know some of you are watching...what did you think???
I think it's Emily...just guessing.

Did you watch the bachelor? How did you feel about it? Do you want to come eat ginormous salads with me?

Healthy Cooking Essentials & Healthy Zucchini Bread

My love for healthy baking and cooking is something that always seems to come out on Sundays. I have more time, and it seems that I quite often find myself in the kitchen. Whitney asked for a healthy zucchini bread recipe, so I decided to whip out some of the zucchini I had pureed and frozen a few months ago.

 We'll get to that...Whitney also asked...

"Also, as a total culinary novice, what are some essentials you have stocked for baking and cooking in general? Basics? Spices? Frozen? Pretty much, I'm changing the way I eat--this means going beyond pouring skim milk over Honey Bunches of Oats--so any tips would be much appreciated."

I loved this question! I think that changing the way you eat can be so overwhelming, especially when you are trying to make healthy improvements. It's hard to know what is the healthiest options are when trying to revamp your fridge and pantry.
I am not including fresh produce here because that is something that you'll constantly be replenishing. These are more of the items that I always make sure I have on hand. 

In the fridge...
Salsa
Hummus 
Fat Free Ranch Dressing
Spray Butter
Eggs
Skim Milk
La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Whole Wheat Tortillas
Diced Garlic
Low-fat Cottage Cheese
Deli Turkey
Quick Rise Yeast 

In the pantry...
Rolled Oats
Peanut Butter/Almond Butter (I think I have like 6 jars of different nut butter...I love em.)
Healthy Cereal (For me it's Kashi Go Lean Crunch, Special K Protein Plus, & Corn Bran)
Canned Beans - I usually have garbanzo, black, kidney, and white. They are great quick source of protein to put in salads, in soups, pastas, etc.
Canned Veggies - green beans, corn, tomatoes, tomato paste, etc.
Popcorn. A favorite snack of mine.
Tuna
Whole Wheat Pasta (I don't use this a ton, but I like to have it every now and then)
Brown Rice
Quinoa
Biochem Protein Powder
Sugar free hot chocolate
Fat free sugar free chocolate/banana pudding mixes (I use these to flavor my oatmeal)
Raw Almonds
Honey/Agave
Olive Oil 
Ground flax seed/chia seeds (can be added to anything)

In the freezer...
Frozen veggie mixes (Easy to steam and eat, throw in soups, add to stir fry, etc.)
Frozen Eda mame (I get the individual packs from Costo, they are an AWESOME snack)
Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Morning Star Veggie Patties/Black Bean Burgers
Frozen fruit for protein shakes (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries)
Zucchini Cookies A go to snack for me.

For cooking/baking...
Cinnamon. I use this DAILY. In my oatmeal, protein shakes, over sweet potatoes, in baking. I love the stuff.
Lowry's Season Salt. To spice up eggs, veggies, chicken.
Kosher Salt
Ground Black pepper
Fajita Seasoning
Other cooking spices include: onion powder, garlic salt, cumin, cayenne pepper, ground cloves, oregano, basil...etc.
Non-stick cooking spray - This is a MUST have. This saves tons of calories by not having to use butter or crisco to avoid sticking. It can also be used in place of oil in pans. 
Whole Wheat flour
Brown Sugar
Because I bake for others a lot I always have all purpose flour and white sugar on hand as well.


My go-to Produce...
HUGE bags of Spinach and Broccoli from Costco. Apples, baby carrots, bananas, sweet potatoes, cherub tomatoes, cuties, zucchini, yellow squash, whichever berries are cheapest!

Hopefully that is somewhat helpful! And now for the recipe:

Healthy Zucchini Bread 

(Recipe makes two loaves)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 egg whites
2 cups zucchini (grated or pureed in food processor)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 1/4 cups wheat flour (The wheat flour makes it VERY dense. If you don't like that consistancy you may want to use 1/2 wheat flour 1/2 all purpose flour)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
*I do want to note that if you like your breads really sweet you may want to add 1/4-1/2 cup more of brown sugar to the recipe, or add some agave/honey/splenda. It would also be tasty with some chocolate chips mixed in!

Mix together applesauce, brown sugar, and eggs until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and almond extract. Add dry ingredients. Mix in zucchini. Pour into two sprayed loaf pans, and sprinkle the tops with brown sugar. Bake at 350 for 40-45 mins. (You can use the toothpick method here.)

Nutrition Facts: Per one slice (Dividing each loaf into 10 slices)

I think it's pretty dang tasty!


What are some of your fridge/pantry staples? Do you find that you panic when these items start to run out? It is amazing how we get so used to our go-to items! Do you like zucchini bread? I LOVE it!

The Diet Soda Debacle

This is one of those subjects that it seems like everyone has an extremely strong opinion on. I realize this could get ugly, but nonetheless I will give you what information I've gathered, and you can do with it what you will...Here goes.

To drink or not to drink. That is the question.

While you may scoff at something that seems so simple and meaningless, it should be realized that there are a lot of peeps out there who live and die by their diet soda. This is a subject that I have had people ask me ALL. THE. TIME. I will admit that my opinion on this has changed over time. I grew up never drinking pop at all, it wasn't even something that crossed my mind. I've been an advocate for diet soda. I've been against it. I've been indifferent. With that being said, there are a few things that I know to be true. These things DON'T change with my opinion.

1. You can find studies/material/information on the web to support the side you take on this subject whether you are for it or against it. This goes for just about any health topic. 

2. Diet Soda is a processed food. It is becoming more and more apparent that processed foods aren't always that great for us.

3. Diet Soda is calorie free. Ice cream, caramel popcorn, chocolate, milkshakes, candy bars, and chocolate covered cinnamon bears are not.

4. Water is also calorie free. It is not processed. We need to drink it.

5. Diet Soda contains Aspartame, sodium, and caffeine in some cases.

6. Regular soda contains a LOT of sugar and calories. Yikes.


So what do we do with all of this information? Well...

The Science of It all:
When I was in my Senior Year at BYU I did a lot of research on the subject. Does it cause cancer? What are the effects of caffeine? How does it effect weight loss? How does it effect weight gain? What are the negative effects? Etc. Etc. Etc. I found studies saying it will give you cancer. I found studies saying it was harmless. I found studies showing that the chemicals that are put into diet soda are dangerous. The results were all over the board.
I decided to take this matter to a professor of mine, a professor I trusted and respected a great deal. She told me that she had also done a lot of research on the subject, specifically on artificial sweeteners. She told me that the studies that showed that it caused cancer were performed on lab rats. They were giving the rats the equivalent what would be us consuming 3 TONS in one sitting. Absolutely, physically impossible. Now, my professor did say that she wouldn't recommend basting, dredging, and glazing your foods in artificial sweeteners. Mainly, because they aren't a natural food and because they are a newly created food item we haven't had the time to see the long term effects of what they do health-wise.

This past July I read Jillian Michaels Book, Losing It. There was a LOT of really great information in there that I agree with, appreciated, and took to heart. It's a great read and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good read dealing with the food connection to the hormones in our bodies. Her main takeaway is...our body wasn't made to process chemicals, and so many of the foods we eat are processed or made with chemicals we don't need. I one hundred percent agree with that. It just makes sense. In fact, I would definitely say that my mantra of eating is a "whole foods" approach. I sincerely believe that we are eating our healthiest when we are eating foods closest to their natural form. It is pretty clear that diet soda has nothing natural about it. It is a conglomeration of different ingredients that somehow combine a beverage.

I was talking to a friend about this very subject a few weeks ago, and she said..."What's not to love about Diet Coke? It's a food and a beverage." I know many, many, many people who feel this same way. There are a lot of individuals who use it as an appetite suppressant and a diet aid, replacing foods that are high in calories. I'm not stating this to promote this idea, just stating the facts. I'm sure you know people who have done the same, and maybe you are one of those people.

My diet beverage of choice is Diet Dr. Pepper. I think it's absolutely delicious. After I read Jillian's book I wanted to experiment and see how I did without drinking diet soda, and how not drinking it would effect my body. I stopped drinking it in the beginning of July 2010. I wouldn't say that I was ever an addict of any sort, but I think it's delicious. I missed it when I stopped drinking it, and this was my assessment.

- I felt more condensed. I really did love this aspect. I think diet soda can sometimes give us a bloated feeling.
- I drank a lot more water.
- My energy levels were about the same.
- My ability to exercise was the same.
- I gained 5 lbs...wait what? Yeah. True story.

This is why...As many of you know I don't eat sugar. I stay away from candy, cake, cookies...all of that. (With the exception of frozen yogurt.) Because I have a MAJOR sweet tooth, thanks mom, I have used diet soda as my, "treat." When I am really wanting something sweet and everyone I am with is eating ice cream or getting dessert at dinner I will usually get a diet soda instead and I'm satiated and satisfied. When I stopped drinking diet soda I didn't have any sort of go to. So I found myself snacking more. I ate more carbohydrates...handfuls of cereal, another handful of almonds, extra dips in the PB jar for some sweetness, more frozen yogurt, you get it. Nothing "bad" per say, just more. All those extra calories added up for me.

When I started my weight loss challenge for work in January I was EXTREMELY strict with my diet. I cut out all the extras and ate VERY VERY VERY clean. Lean protein, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and fresh produce like what. Because I wanted to have something to treat myself to I decided that I was going to drink diet soda again. Nothing excessive, just something to keep my sweet tooth at bay. With this diet regimen and a lot of sweatin' in the gym I lost over ten pounds.

So, as a personal trainer, nutrition consultant, and weight loss coach what do I recommend to you?
I think it is definitely a situation that is different for everyone. If you don't drink any sort of soda I would say you are better off. Drink lots of water it is so good for you! Do I think diet soda is the worst thing in the world? No, I actually don't. If you have the choice between eating a candy bar or drinking a diet soda I would pick the diet soda. If you are addicted and it runs your life, I'd say giving it up might be a good thing for you. If having that sweetness only increases your cravings for sweets, as some studies suggest, then kicking the habit is probably going to be beneficial. It all goes back to what I say about just about everything...moderation. Having to have an IV of diet coke to your veins at all time doesn't seem healthy for any reason AT ALL, but I really don't think drinking some every now and again is going to kill you. If you can go with out. DO IT. If not, moderation.

Regular soda on the other hand...kick the habit. Drinking your calories is a waste of time. Promise.

So, what do you think? Do you drink diet soda? I won't judge I promise. I'd love to hear your opinion, even if you tell me you think I'm crazy. What is your reasoning behind what you do or don't do?

Roast em'

Yesterday I realized I had a TON of veggies that were on the verge of losing their freshness that I needed to take care of ASAP. When this happens I'll usually make some sort of soup or giant salad to use up all of my remainders. I hate wasting food, so I decided I'd make some oven roasted vegetables that would use up the rest of my veggie goods.

This is a great way to cook up a variety of veggies. It's SUPER easy, and kids like it too!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 

Line  a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. (You don't have to do this, but it makes the clean up process a HECK of a lot easier!)

Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray. 

Cut up your veggies.

My assortment included...broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, yellow squash, snow peas, yellow bell pepper, and my favorite, a sweet potato. I think the sweet potato makes the dish. Just saying. 

Drizzle the veggies in a bit of olive oil. Season with Garlic Salt and onion powder. Sprinkle with some brown sugar. The brown sugar adds a hint of sweetness that is SO tasty!
Bake uncovered in the oven for 45 minutes, or until veggies are tender.

 

There they are, in all their roasted glory. I ate these plain, but they would be great on rice, over a salad, or along side any meal. This recipe is a great way to get in several servings of vegetables at once!

Do you hate wasting produce like I do? I can almost always seem to come up with a way of making things last or combine, so as not to waste them. Do you have any go to recipes for your excess produce?

National Pancake Day

Did you know today was a holiday? It's National Pancake Day!! A day worth celebrating of COURSE. I thought I'd celebrate by giving you some of my fave pancake recipes. I don't think you'll be too surprised with my choices.
These are great recipes for a healthy breakfast, or even a delicious dinner. My family did breakfast for dinner all the time growing up. It is an easy way to feed the family a healthy dinner quickly, and provides a meal that most kiddies LOVE to eat.

I featured these Whole Wheat Pancakes back in December when my sister whipped them up for our family.

They are so tasty, and really hearty and filling. Click HERE for the recipe.

These Banana Pancakes are more than delicious, and super easy to make as well.

Banana Pancakes

Ingredients: 
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons Splenda (You could use agave, honey, or raw sugar here)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup skim milk
2 ripe bananas
2 egg whites or 1 egg substitute

Directions: Mash bananas first. Mix together wet ingredients with bananas, and then add dry ingredients. Spoon batter onto hot griddle.

This recipe makes 5 servings of 2 pancakes each. Here are the stats...

Obviously, I would have to include something with peanut butter in it. These Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes are To. Die. For.


Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons applesauce
2 egg whites
1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions: Mix together wet ingredients, and then add dry ingredients. Mix in mini chocolate chips last. Spoon batter onto hot griddle.

These recipe makes 12 pancakes. For one pancake here are the stats.

This recipe for Blueberry pancakes is another one worth trying.

My favorite pancake toppings are sugar free syrup, lite syrup, peanut butter, spray butter, fresh fruit, fat free cool whip, nutella, and cinnamon sugar. It is only in the past few years that I have learned that peanut butter wasn't a staple ingredient on pancakes and waffles for every household. It was just something I grew up with. I thought everyone did it??
I'm hungry now...Do you ever have breakfast for dinner? My family did all the time. Waffles were a favorite, pancakes, and omelets were all favorites of ours. What is your favorite breakfast for dinner meal? I love cereal. I know that is lame, but I do. Oatmeal is another meal I could eat all day long, but don't worry I love pancakes, waffles, and omelets, too!

Myth Busters: Eating Late...and a Monday Winner!

March Madness Mix Monday Winner is....

Amber @ Betty Meets Jane

Congrats girl! email me at megolina21 at gmail.com with your info, so I can send you your goods!! Thanks to everyone who entered!

We made it back into town this morning at 6AM. Gross? Yes, but totally worth it. While driving through the middle of the night I realized another reason why sleep is so dang important for health and weight loss aside from all THESE reasons...

When I stay up late I become hungry again. I am not much of a car sleeper, unfortunately, and so being up all night made me SO hungry! I started thinking about people who offer the "4th meal," or advertise that they, "stay open late," and it makes sense. When you don't have a good sleep schedule you may eat later, causing you to eat more.

This brings up a question I am asked VERY frequently.

Does eating late case weight gain?

Most Direct Answer: No, it doesn't.
Is there more to it than just that...of course, and here's why.

The fact of the matter is, calories are calories. Eating after a certain time won't cause you to gain weight. Eating later at night can lead to some poor habits, which will cause you to gain weight. Weight isn't determined on an hour by hour schedule. Your body doesn't calculate each bite you take and decide if it's going to cause you to gain a pound or lose a pound. It is an accumulative effort. Your deficit or over-consumption of calories over the span of a week, a month, or a year is what matters. If you are overeating for a few weeks, you will see weight gained. The opposite is true for if you are burning more calories than you are consuming for a few weeks. It will result in weight loss. A 300 calorie meal eaten at 6 PM. Is still going to be a 300 calorie meal if you can't make it home to eat dinner until 8:00 PM.

This is where the debate comes in that eating closer to your bed time means your body is burning less calories, whereas if you ate those calories earlier in the day you'd have more time to burn them off. This is a false notion. If you are eating a set amount of calories in a day you will still have a deficit, regardless of the time you ate them. It goes back to the accumulative amount of calories eaten over a period of time. Also, remember that the body never stops working. Your heart is always beating, your blood is always flowing, and you are always inhaling and exhaling, even when you are sleeping. True, you may burning more calories while you're up and about, but your body doesn't take a hiatus.

The key here is can you eat late without falling into poor eating habits. For some, eating later means you might make poor decisions due to being very hungry. Sometimes when we are starving and we come home we eat what is convenient over what is quality. This same idea of hunger and urgency can cause us to overeat as well. Portion sizes don't mean much when you are famished. Eating late can sometimes lead to craving heartier foods because you are so hungry, and these heartier foods can be more calorie laden. For some eating late can lead into grazing through the rest of the night, where setting an exact time to not eat past means you have a guideline as to when you need to stop doing laps around the kitchen and frequenting the pantry. Lastly, eating late can sometimes cause you to not feel hungry for breakfast in the morning. Eating breakfast is one of the best things you can do for your body as far as good health and weight loss. It gets your metabolism going, fuels your brain so you are ready to think for the day, and gives you energy. It's important!

So, is eating late going to kill you? Not at all, but will it help you to avoid it? Probably. 

It is said that you should eat. 

Breakfast like a king, 

lunch like a prince, and 

dinner like a pauper. 

Meaning keep your biggest meals at the beginning of the day, helping you to start with the fuel you need. I advise my clients to eat the larger sum of their carbohydrates for the day in their breakfast. (Think oatmeal, whole grain cereal, wheat toast, etc.) Try to increase your veggies and lean protein content for lunch and dinner.

Can you sleep in the car? I'm not the fall-asleep-anywhere child I once was. I think I actually slept for like 30 mins of our 10 hour drive. I need a nap. Are you a late night eater? I try to eat dinner between 7-8 but I'm usually hungry at 5 or 6 while I'm still training! I'm always ready for dinner when I get home. I always decide what I'm going to have before I get home, so I don't kibosh my day of good eating! When Is your biggest meal of the day? I would say mine is probably lunch. I have standard oatmeal for breakfast, and try to get in the most protein I can at lunch. Dinner is usually a protein shake these days.

Side note: Reader Rene...I don't know if you don't have a blog or if yours is just private, but you've asked a bunch of questions in the past and I love all of your GREAT comments. I can't respond back because I don't show you as having a blog? Do you have an email?? Email me! megolina21 @ gmail.com :)

Sunday Sweets

Happy Sunday. Thanks for all the warm well wishes. Here at the Smith Family household there are somethings that we consider staples. I can guarantee you that there are certain items that will ALWAYS be in stock at our house, even if nobody's been to the store in weeks...some of those are...

- Wintergreen Lifesavers
- Reduced Fat Wheat Thins
- Costco Almonds
- Gumballs
- Chrystal Light
- Frosted Mini Wheats (Maple Flavored, Dad's fave)
- Fiber One Bars
- Zucchini Cookies in the freezer
- Oatmeal
- Dreyers Grand Light Ice Cream (Always at least Vanilla, sometimes PB Tracks or the seasonal Peppermint)
- Diet A&W Rootbeer

Random List? Yep. It's just the way it is around here.
The last two are some of my favorites? Why, you ask? Because my family loves our Low-Cal rootbeer floats.

They are the easiest, greatest lil' treat ever...

Start with this.

 

Yum.

 Add some diet roobeer.

 

And voila. Done. 

 Now try and tell me that doesn't look glorious. It is.

It's already almost time to get back in the car. Boo...oh well. It's been great while it lasted. :) Thanks mom/dad/Barney fam for a great quick weekend. I love you guys!! xoxoxo

Do you have any food staples at home you can always count on being in stock? I think my list is a little different than my mom's but I'm not mad about hers at all. I like knowing what I can count on. Do you like road trips? I love them, but I can promise driving 10 hours tonight (starting at 8 PM) isn't going to be my favorite...just saying.