Changing Focus

It's one of those situations where something happened beyond my control.  Not stressing, not stressing, not stressing.  GAH!  Stressing!  Breathe and believe!!  Breathe and believe!!  Negativity be gone!  Getting rid of the bad day blues today has been a process, but one I've been able to share with a couple of friends.  It's so effective I thought I would blog it so I can revisit it the next time I have a speed bump in the road.

Source

I can't change the past.  But that doesn't mean my future is going to go the same way.  I refuse to make self-fulfilling prophecies: by assuming the day will remain as challenging I will focus my energy and assure it will.  So...how does this affect the big picture of my life?  This situation is a blip in the scheme of things, lesson learned and moving forward.  Does this ruin my day?  It stinks, really, but I'm blessed.  Switching focus, I can say that my taxes are paid, my bills are current, my husband loves me, my family is wonderful, my dog is mostly healthy, my garden is producing, even though I'm sick I am starting to get better, and I have chili that is yummy-licious.  De-stressing: getting up and working out will help with the mood boost.  Attitude change?  You betcha.  I have so many opportunities in my future and it all depends on the path I plan - and yes, I have some incredible dreams in mind.

Goal Setting, Simplified

I am so overwhelmed, and scared of new opportunities!  I had to remind myself: get out of your own way!  What's stopping you?  Just set your mind and move your body to become the best (insert your dream here) you can be.  If you love your life, don't change a thing!  But if you find yourself in a pattern similar to what I felt today - curious and daydreaming about what if's and wouldn't it be nice if - read on to my ridiculously simplified recipe to success.

1 - DON'T panic!  Breathe!  Change is scary, but necessary to get out of ye olde comfort zone of routine plateau.  Take a deep breath and read the next step.

2 -  Choose your goal.  Define expectations. Stay realistic. (Take a deep breath.  Read on.)

3 - Create your vision.  Seek support from like-minded people.  Ignore the naysayers and breathe.

4 - Change your behaviors.  Determine your strengths and values. Skip the negatives to avoid circling back to old holding patterns.  Breathe.

5 - Move it.  Write down steps, the smallest of goals that lead up to your vision.  Get in gear and go in the direction of what you desire - FORWARD!!  Arm yourself with a realistic and specific plan.  Use your cheerleaders to help you break into the potential that you seek.  Know your strengths and use them to squish bad habits as you build newer and healthier ones.

It sounds SO simple, and really it is.  So take a deep breath and get out of your own way.

Beauty Trials

Visible anti-aging results instantly, on sale.  I'm listening.  I purchased the trial of Beachbody's Derm Exclusive Introductory Kit and received it on February 21.  I did my day one photos and took a 19 day follow up.  While I'm experiencing technical difficulties uploading photos, I'll explain the product.  The claim is that you watch your wrinkles "disappear in minutes" with no invasive needles, no lasers, no chemical peels or pain.  Derm Exclusive says it delivers results as good as or better than cosmetic procedures done at the dermatologist.

Derm has 4 steps that target all four signs of aging: fine lines and wrinkles, sagging skin, dark spots and dullness.  These steps work together to "refresh, restore, rebuild and renew" the complexion.  It works for all skin types, is used every day and is dermatologist tested & approved.  The products contain no dangerous preservatives or harmful ingredients, no ingredients derived from animals and isn't tested on animals.

Initially, Advanced Kit's price of the 90 day supply put me off.  My cost as a coach is $90 with free shipping, Club members receive a discount at $107.87, and full retail goes for $119.85.  There is another kit for $165 - my coach cost is $123 - for a girl who invests practically nothing into skin care, that is an ouch.  However, being intrigued by a progress photo by a fellow coach, I decided to try it.

This is what I received with the Intro Kit along with a 30-day money back guarantee:

Step 1: Micro Peel Resurfacing Pads
(15 pads, 30-day supply)
Reveal super-smooth skin with a professional-strength peel that exfoliates dead cells and shrinks the appearance of pores.

Step 2: Intensive Repair Serum
(1 fl. oz., 30-day supply)
Treat dark spots and uneven texture similar to a laser treatment as you help speed recovery from past damage and restore skin's luminosity.

Step 3: Collagen Lift
(1 fl. oz., 30-day supply)
Boost collagen production for firm, lifted skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles with astonishingly powerful results.

Step 4: Fill & Freeze Wrinkle Treatment
(0.04 fl. oz., 30-day supply)
Instantly plump lines and wrinkles while reducing the appearance of dark circles. This breakthrough product gives injections and fillers a run for their money!

My complaints: definitely have to be sparing because with the amount of product I felt I would run out sooner than the 30 days.  These products can only be purchased in a group, so if I did run out I can't order just one thing.  The fill & freeze treatment burns and leaves a redness, but not at every application.

My raves: The scent reminds me of citrus - not overpowering.  I like the feel of the products overall, with the exception of the fill & freeze burning on occasion.  I have noticed that the Intensive repair has given an overall appearance of a balanced skin tone.  As for the collagen lift, I think it has "tightened" as advertised, but I'm going to let the photos show that once I can get them loaded.

My thoughts: Overall I like the product.  Do I think it is worth the investment?  Yes because I haven't had any results from the various items I've purchased here and there that are this noticeable.  However worrying if I will run out of items before the next shipment and not being able to purchase individually is a major negative.  I'm investing into the 90 day supply to see how the results fare from day 1, but I'm not 100% sold on it yet.  3.5 stars / 5

Happy Pi Day!

As if Shakeology wasn't my favorite sweet tooth fix, I found a recipe for pie.  Bonus: I finally found a use for the Greenberry flavor that I don't *really* love.  With a quinoa crust and a touch of Shakeology, it's hard to imagine a healthier pie.

Total Time: 3 hrs., 30 min.
Prep Time: 20 min.
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:
¾ cup dry quinoa
1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
¾ cup pure maple syrup, divided use
1 (12-oz.) container firm silken tofu
2 Tbsp. Greenberry Shakeology
¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup canned lite coconut milk
4 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. finely chopped lime peel
¾ medium ripe banana

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Grind quinoa in a clean spice or coffee grinder until finely ground.
3. Place quinoa, walnuts, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse until well mixed.
4. Combine quinoa mixture, oil, and ½ cup maple syrup in a medium bowl; mix well.
5. Press mixture into 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
6. Place tofu, Shakeology, yogurt, coconut milk, lime juice, lime peel, remaining ½ cup maple syrup, and banana in a blender; cover. Blend until smooth. 7. Pour tofu mixture into cooled pie crust.
8. Freeze for 3 hours, or until set.
9. Cut into 10 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 212

Fat: 10g

Saturated Fat: 4g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 18mg

Carbohydrate: 25g

Fiber: 2g

Sugar: 12g

Protein: 10g

Sausage Stuffed Squash

Sausage stuffed squash.  Go ahead and say that really fast three times in a row!  I was faced with a mild dilemma yesterday.  Combined lack of grocery shopping, lack of time to do so, and the question of how to feed two boys whose idea of cooking is pizza in a box when I am not going to be home at dinnertime.  I dislike processed foods, so I do my best to make sure my hubs and brother don't resort to that option when I'm gone.  I needed something that was fairly quick to make, reheated well and was something they would eat.  The freezer was silently mocking as I debated on what to do with two pounds of really nice sausage.  I had three different types of squash - two types of baking pumpkin and one lonely acorn squash.  When in doubt, pull out Granny's Good Housekeeping Cookbook.

I found a recipe for stuffed squash.  But they used (gak) hot dogs.  Reading on, there was a recipe to use sausage.  Score!  I just adapted it to be a bit healthier and voila.  Something suspicious for the boys to wonder what the tree hugger has concocted this time.  I perused the produce.  I had one red delicious apple, onions, miscellaneous lettuces, tomatoes and radishes.  I selected the apple, some red mustard greens and the onion.  Sauteed the sausage with some onion as the squash baked in the oven.  Once they were done, I mixed everything together and baked for another 10 minutes.

The end result?  They loved it and barely saved one for me to eat when I got home (of which half was more than enough).  The apple added enough natural sugar and the mustard enough tang to complement the sausage nicely.

The Ingredients:
Choice of 3 squash - the acorn squash held up the best
2 pounds cooked premium sausage (no added sugar or wheat)
1 medium chopped onion
1 cup chopped raw mustard greens, stems removed
1 apple cubed
Garlic chives to taste
Extra virgin olive oil - enough to coat the inside of squash

Preheat oven to 400.  Coat insides of squash with enough olive oil to keep moist - I would estimate 1 to 1 1/2 Tablespoons for each. Place squash cut side down onto baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes.  Note: I followed the cookbook and baked it for 30 minutes and after cooking it the second time after stuffing it seemed overdone to me.  Meanwhile, brown the sausage with the onion until cooked.  Once that is done, mix the chopped mustard greens, apple and garlic chives in a bowl.  Remove squash from oven and stuff carefully - they are h-o-t!  Return stuffed squash back into oven for ten minutes.  Allow them to cool slightly before serving.  Ultimately this should feed 4 - 6 people, since the boys had two each, I had one and I shared one with my neighbor.

Kale & Beet Salad

I've posted previously about the awesomeness of beets.  They are great additions to several types cooking methods. Roasted, pureed, steamed—you name it. But in my opinion, nothing is better than a simple salad of raw shredded beets and kale - it is tangy, sweet and full of texture!  The balsamic vinegar brings out their natural sweetness while keeping the beets raw preserves their vibrant color and nutrients.

The Ingredients:
4 medium red beets peeled and shredded (or in my case chopped)
3 cups (packed) thinly sliced kale leaves (stems removed and discarded)
1 medium shallot, finely chopped (I used onion because it's what I had)
1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon granulated garlic powder (I used that plus garlic chives)
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

In a large mixing bowl, toss together beets, kale, and shallot. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and granulated garlic powder. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  I prefer to chill mine in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes then allow the salad to stand at room temperature shortly before serving.

Try different types of kale in this recipe to find your favorite. I like lacinato kale the best for its flatter texture, but curly or red kale will also work.  I used chiogga beets (candy cane beets) because they are so yummy, don't stain and are gorgeous in the salad.

How Sweet it...Isn't.

Once upon a time, or maybe just a few months ago I picked up my jar of organic raw blue agave nectar.  It is not truly raw nor is it all natural. With all the hype about this and that new natural sweetener, it was a total impulse purchase.  I can't say I really liked it - I still prefer plain old honey.  After doing some reading I can't say I will finish what I have.  Words like "organic" and "raw" and "all natural" should mean something, right?  Agave nectar: good, bad or indifferent?

Let's go over the scientifical stuff.  Even though agave nectar doesn't cause the raise and crash in blood sugar levels, it gets packaged into a more dangerous option: blood fats.  The liver digests fructose, and then it is immediately turned into triglycerides - which is stored body fat.  You know, the kind that increases heart disease risk.  Our liver is grand central for fat metabolizing, and it gets rid of toxins.  When there is a lot of junk like fructose coming in, the liver will build up fat deposits and everything will get backed up worse than rush hour traffic after an accident.

Agave nectar consists of 70 to 90 percent fructose.  That's crazy: high fructose corn syrup weighs in at 55 percent fructose, a virtual lightweight in comparison!  (And I am NOT a HFCS fan).  These high fructose levels can contribute to insulin resistance (yup, that would be the diabetes risk factor) as well as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.  Fructose also causes your body to stop telling you that you're full...so you eat more.  Besides contributing to weight gain, this will also help to gain BAD FATS (the aforementioned triglycerides that we all associate with super-sized junk meals). 

Because I hate just throwing stuff away, it will sit in the cupboard to use more sparingly than the leftover white sugar that has been sitting forever.  Using a teaspoon here or there seems reasonable, but I will be avoiding adding it into any beverages or foods as a regular sweetener.