Paleo Pancakes

Okay,Okay! I'm posting my (not-so-SECRET) recipe for PALEO PANCAKES!

These delish treats are protein packed, sweet (almost like crepes to me) and the BEST weekend breakfast EVER!

Ingredients:

• 1 banaana
• 2 eggs
• optional: sprinkle of cinnamon, blueberries, apples, coconut, strawberries, chocolate chips, etc

Directions:

1. Crack 2 eggs, whisk 
2. mash up 1 banana into mixture
3. Add cinnamon
4. Heat up butter or coconut oil in a pan
5. Cook pancakes on medium/high heat (smaller usually come out best) until the edges bubble a bit and seem brown
6. ENJOY!

Bacon wrapped asparagus and peppers

Ingredients:

• Asparagus
• Red pepper (yellow or orange would work as well)
• Bacon (or prosciutto )
• balsamic vinegar
• salt
• pepper
• optional:goat cheese

Directions:

1. Wash and cut the asparagus
2. Wash and cut the pepper into strips
3. Make a "bundle" of 3-4 asparagus spears, 2 pepper slices and (optional) goat cheese
4. Wrap a piece of bacon around the bundles
5. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar
6. Top with salt and pepper to taste
7. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes- turn over after the first 15 minutes.

Super foods for Fit Girls

Many of us have heard about these "super foods" but what are SUPERFOODS anyway?

Superfoods are foods that gained the term SUPER because of their amazing nutritional benefits. Many of these fruits and vegetables can bring you nutritional power and vitamins even in small amounts. These foods are best consumed in their natural state. Ignore the food companies who are trying to jump on the bandwagon by adding these super foods to their already processed items- that shortcut won't get you the health benefits that eating these foods will in their clean state.

Below are a list of easy to find, affordable and delicious SUPERFOODS that you can add into your daily diet.

Spinach

These beautiful leaves carry protein, vitamin K, folate/folic acid and a decent amount of fiber. Spinach is all-around nutritious. Spinach is said to be the ultimate pregnancy food for the folate/folic acid inside of the delicious leaves. In addition, spinach helps fight eye disease, helps with constipation and heart disease.

Get it in: I add spinach to all of my shakes and smoothies. I have a salad at least once a day filled with spinach and or kale. I, personally, try to get in about 3 cups of spinach a day.  (Try to buy organic leafy greens due to pesticide use).

Kale

Kale is a beautiful leaf that is a cousin to cauliflower and broccoli.  Kale contains more tun 45 flavonoids, which help with inflammation. On the national ranking system for food nutrients kale ranks among the top in nutrient dense foods . Many researchers believe that kale can significantly reduce cholesterol. 

Get it in: Kale Chips are the easiest way for me to get my kale in. I do not love the taste, unless it's in marinated salad. So, I have a bit of a hard time adding it to my shakes. There are many delicious recipes for kale salads, though. I just have a hard time perfecting them! (Try to buy organic leafy greens due to pesticide use).

Blueberries

-They're packed with vitamin C, high in potassium and have anti-inflaitory properties. Many doctors believe that these blue gems can reduce your risk of heart disease.  Blueberries carry the same health benefits frozen as they do fresh. 

Get it in: Frozen blueberries are perfect to add to a morning shake, pancakes (paleo pancake recipe) or all by themselves. I can gobble them up quickly, they're so delicious! (Always buy organic berries due to their soft skin and the use of pestesides)

Beets

I was always turned off to beets as a child. They just looked…gross. However, they're on of my favorite foods now! I can never pass up a salad with beets. Beets contain a high amount of vitamin C, folate, potassium, fiber (4g per cup) and antioxidants. The antioxidant acids found in beets are said to be great for  those with Diabetes or high blood pressure.

Get it in: shredded beets are easy to add to salads. I find myself getting a large container from my local Whole Foods and that lasts me a few days. Beets are also delicious steamed and sliced, marinated in balsamic and even shredded and added into a berry smoothie.

Quinoa

Quinoa (Keen-Wah) is technically a seed but many refer to it as a grain. Quinoa has a nutty taste and is found in many South American countries. This superfood is about 20% protein and a great source of protein for those who are gluten free. It also contains a large amount of fiber, iron and manganese (an antioxidant that helps with anti-aging by protecting your body from free radicals). Quinoa is also one of the only foods that contains all 9 essential amino acids (which are used in helping your body build muscle and body tissue)- which makes this food GREAT for athletes, seniors and everyone in-between. 

Get it in: I use quinoa in everything. I don't eat many grains, but this is one that is easy to make an exception for. I posted my recipe for quinoa stuffing on FGIP ( now make it with black rice and quinoa). I also make quinoa and add it to my meal as a side dish or an addition to my salads. 

Black Rice

I wasn't familiar with black rice until my dietician, Kelly at Paleo Infused Nutrition, mentioned it to me! I've come to learn why she recommends it to clients who are looking for a grain with many health benefits. Black rice boasts more antioxidants per tablespoon than blueberries (which we all know are an antioxidant superfood). That in itself is enough to sell these beauties to you. In addition, black rice bring you a high amount of vitamin E. Black rice is sometimes called the "forbidden rice" because it was once kept for the nobles in China while commoners could not harvest and eat this rice 

Get it in: Black rice is the perfect side dish. I enjoy adding it to my lettuce wraps for "tacos" or mixing in grilled vegetables. Keep an eye out for my Sage Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Rice recipe: coming soon.

Easy Baked in the oven: hard "boiled" eggs

This recipe is as simple and easy as the post! Perfect for a pre or post workout, breakfast or snack!

Life gives you lemons...

I've had a MILLION reasons why I haven't had success in my fitness and nutrition goals lately. Am I far from my goals? No. Am I far from sticking to my plan? No. But, there are a few things that I've realized today as I went yet another day without working out...

1. EXCUSES ARE EXCUSES
Yes, we all need rest days. I couldn't do my cardio with stitches in my foot and leg. But, I could've done abs or arms. Yes, I need to take time off when I get the flu. But, it's not an excuse to start eating anything I want. Don't use things in your life as a crutch. If you need, jot down a quick note of what you CAN DO even with your excuse (injury, time, money, work, etc). We can do MUCH more than we think we can- you just need to REALLY want to get it done.

2. IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT MATTER MOST
It's ALL of those LITTLE things that pile up together and create who you are, where you're going and if you're going to reach your goals or not. That one piece of candy (even if it's "clean"), that extra ginger ale (after you're already feeling better), that one extra day off (after doing nothing and continuing to do nothing...), circling around to find a close parking spot (instead of just taking the one at the end of the parking lot which would add a bit of extra exercise) and so on and so forth. All of these little (daily) choices make a huge difference in making YOU the BEST YOU possible. DON'T EVER DOUBT THAT!

3. FAILURE TO PREPARE is PREPARING TO FAIL (and so is not sticking to the plan)
My biggest problem lately (aside from using medical excuses that drag on) is NOT planning. I was SUCH a great planner for MONTHS and I saw HUGE improvements. However, when I had my stitches, I got laxed. I started running out for breakfast or lunch. I started relying on snack bars. And while I was still eating "clean", I wasn't eating balanced and my body knew the difference. I got used to regular workouts and just putting in workouts sporadically certainly aren't helping me get to my goals. With that said...don't forget to keep up both ends of this bargain: PLAN and STICK TO THE PLAN!

These tips can be used in ALL arenas of your life (I know that I could use these concepts with more than just the fitness and nutrition aspects of my life)

And on a final note...

When life gives you lemons- make apple juice and leave people wondering how you did it!

Paleo Chocolate Banana Bread!

A few weeks ago, while scrolling down my timeline on Twitter, I saw someone mention that they had made Paleo french toast. My first thought, "You did WHAT?!?!" I messaged her and she said that she made Paleo banana bread from Civilized Caveman. I went to the site but at the time I didn't have all of the ingredients. Today, however, I had 3 massive (overly-ripe) bananas sitting on my counter and had the day off. Cue: smells of freshly baked banana bread!

I worked with the original recipe from Civilized Caveman but added a few of my own things.

Paleo Chocolate Banana Bread 

Ingredients:

• 3 Large bananas or 4 regular sized bananas
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup almond butter (or any nut butter, i.e. macadamia, pecan, etc) note: I used homemade cocoa almond butter (I heated mine up to melt it just a bit)
• 4 tablespoons grass-fed butter or coconut oil, melted (I used coconut oil)
• 1/2 cup coconut flour (I'm always a bit leery on using coconut oil due to past experience. I used just under a 1/2 a cup)
• 1/4 cup of walnuts (optional)
• 3 tablespoons of cocoa nibs (optional. I cut up 4 squares of a Lindt 80% dark cocoa bar)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (I eyeballed it)
• pinch of sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degree 
2. Combine ALL ingredients and mix well with a handheld mixer.
3. Grease a metal loaf pan with grass fed butter or coconut oil.
4. Pour in your batter and spread it evenly throughout
5. Place in your preheated oven and bake for 50 minutes. Check with a knife or toothpick to make sure that the center is still moist.
6. Remove from oven and flip your bread out onto a cooling rack
7. Enjoy!

Notes: I have a BRAND new oven. With that said, you may want to alter your timing accordingly (older ovens you might want to bake a bit longer).
Muffin timing: I made a few muffins (regular sized) and they were ready in about 25 minutes.
Bread timing in a metal loaf pan: Check on it at 35 minutes as the original posting suggested- it was certainly not ready. It was ready in about 50-55 minutes.

Meal preppin' for the week!

I LOVE this quote! It's SO true! I notice that on the days or weeks that I do not prepare my foods ahead of time and plan things out...I "fail" big time! Now, I still struggle with going through phases of giving into other treats (grabbing an extra apple or banana, a handful of almonds, a scoops of almond butter or picking up dark chocolate). However, it's a lot easier to stick to your plan if you prepare.

On Sunday, I did a huge meal prep for my week. I made a few main dishes, lunch items and most importantly for me:snacks! Next week, I'll be sure to make some breakfasts on Sunday.


Meatballs

Spices for Paleo meatballs- shallots, Italian blend, paprika, garlic, basil and pepper.

mix all ingredients together with 1 egg then combine 1 lb of grass-fed organic beef.

Bake meatballs in the oven at 375 for 10 minutes on each side. Store in an air-tight container and use during the week!

Detox Salad (similar to Whole Foods)

juice from one lemon, salt, pepper, 1/4 cup of raisins, 1/4 cup of carrots, sunflower seeds to your liking, half a bag of cauliflower, half a bag of raw broccoli, power greens (spinach and kale) and olive oil.

Chop all dry ingredients and then add wet ingredients! Use for a base for a quick lunch! Add shrimp or chicken to get protein in and your power greens!

Snack Prep:

Side dishes:

Mashed cauliflower: 1 bag of cauliflower, 1 tbsp of Kerrygold grass-fed butter, salt and pepper. Steam cauliflower, mash together with butter, salt and pepper.

Black rice: Black rice has more antioxidants per tablespoon than blueberries! It's the un-spoken super-food! Get on it! Make a batch for the week and enjoy.

 

 

Take some of these ideas with you into your next week and set yourself up for success! 

Do you have any tips on meal-preps? Let us know!

Mango Shrimp Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of shrimp (I used Trader Joe's salad shrimp)
• 1-2 mangoes (I used Trader Joe's frozen organic mango)
• 1 avocado
• Coconut flakes (optional)
• juice from 2 small limes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 table spoons of olive oil

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together
• let set for best flavor
• serve cold
• enjoy!

Cooking with coconut flour

Today was my first attempt at cooking with coconut flour! After my first few months of being gluten free (years ago) I kind of gave up on my adventures in gluten-free baking. But, I heard all about these wonderful coconut flour pancakes that were Paleo friendly. So, I headed to Whole Foods and picked up some coconut flour!

This morning, I decided to give the pancakes a shot! Kelly had a recipe on her site and I followed that. I think I did something wrong because my first try the batter was a cookie dough consistency mess! I added more coconut milk and more and more! I burned a bunch on a too-hot pan and filled my kitchen sigh smoke! Finally, I decided to tahr a break. I put the batter in the fridge and figured I would try it again later. Then, I headed out to the studio for spin shed.

When I got home, I got out the batter and added more coconut milk. Finally, I got the tight consistency! The only problem now, they were kinda crumbling apart. I probably could've added another egg.

I had a few pancakes come out right! I topped them with a smidge of almond butter and a drizzle of raw honey.

I had a ton of batter left over so I hit creative and pulled out my muffin tins! I poured the batter into the tins, added frozen berries and coconut shreds. Viola- coconut berry muffins. They came out pretty good! I need to play with this recipe a bit more! Since I'm on a roll, ill be sure to post the perfected recipe soon!

In summary... Sometimes baking gluten free can be tough. Ingredients are often expensive and it gets really frustrating feeling like you've wasted time and money. Always try to save your recipe even if it means playing with it or converting it into something else. Hey, you never know what deliciousness you might end up creating! ;)

Do you bake with coconut flour? If so, what is your favorite recipe?!

Grocery Shopping while eating CLEAN!

I've had quite a few people ask my questions about what I eat and if it's expensive. I have also had some requests for lists of what I buy at certainly stores.

First, cost:
Shopping, for me, is more expensive that it used to be. However, I'm really conscious of what goes in my body and I refuse to put junk in my body any longer. I go to the grocery store about twice a week. I do a big trip and then always seem to run out of something or want to pick up just one more thing. I spend on average about $70-80 a week for myself (my husband doesn't eat much of "my food"). This is not including protein shakes, which I have been slowing down on and doing just for recovery. Some weeks I spend more depending on if I'm stocking back up on something or not.

Where do I shop:
I generally shop only at Trader Joe's (the bulk of my shopping), Whole Foods (a few speciality products) and Costco (some produce when I can get there and when I stock up on proteins).

What do I buy:
When I'm explaining to people WHAT and HOW I eat, I summarize it by saying, "I cut out wheat/gluten, grains, soy, sugar, dairy, caffiene and generally all processed foods. I do however eat proteins, veggies, fruits and LOTS of healthy fats (nuts, avocado and oils)." By eating lots of healthy fats, you need to cut down on something else to balance it out and I eat lower carbs (no grains or legumes). With that said, I do get a LOT of carbs in from fruits and veggies. Don't be fooled. You can QUICKLY rack up carbs from fruits (and even over-do it!).

Grocery lists:
-These are a general list of items that I purchase from various stores.

Trader Joe's
Produce-
organic spinach lettuce
Kale
mushrooms
butternut squash (Whole or already cubed)
oranges
bag of organic granny smith apples (much more fresh than their other Fuji organic apples)
organic blueberries
pear apples
bananas
Shredded bussel sprouts
Spaghetti squash (when they have in stock)
avocados (I switch back and forth between the bags and single avocados. The bags always seem to be too hard and then all turn ripe and the same time)

Cold cases-
cage free organic eggs
grass fed bed 85/15
nitrate free bacon
applegate farms chicken breast (usually pick up in case I'm in a bind)
Kerrygold butter (new on my list. source of vitamin K2 and very easy on the dairy side)
Prosciutto  (look for the kind without sugar)
Smoked salmon

On the shelf-
organic, no salt added, diced tomatoes
minced garlic
raw walnuts
raw almonds
raw pine nuts
raw slivered almonds
raw honey
coconut milk (TJ brand- vanilla and unsweetened)
almond milk (pacific brand- vanilla)
Coconut oil (in a jar. it's solid at room temp and must be heated to melt.)
White Truffle Oil
canned organic pumpkin
organic unsweetened applesauce

 Crunchy (less watery) unsaletd Almond Butter

Frozen-

Chili Lime Chicken burgers
Seafood blend
Frozen shrimp
Wild salmon filet
sweet potatoes ( they come in frozen "picks" that are clean and make mashed sweet potatoes easily!)
fire roasted peppers and onions
frozen spianch
frozen broccoli
frozen mango chunks
frozen organic spinach



Whole foods:
I only shop here for fill-ins. I find TJ to be a lost less expensive, generally speaking. This list is short; I'm sure I'll think of other things! I do LOVE their shrimp bar ;)

Unsweetened coconut chips (found in the baking aisle by Let's do Organic)
coconut flour
micro-greens
beets
Cauliflower
Hemp seed (shelled)

Costco:
Costco is AMAZING for produce! They don't have too many organic options but I do buy some things there!

Large tub of organic spinach
asparagus
onions
avocados
mini sweet bell peppers
bananas
cuties
Frozen shrimp
Frozen organic berries
Frozen Empire kosher chicken
mahi-mahi frozen
organic free range beef
wild salmon (cut up in smaller portions and freeze)
water! (I know, It's not Eco-friendly)
Trio of olive oils (basil, chili and garlic)

Whew!! That was a lot! I hope this gives you a better idea of what I eat and how you can eat CLEAN and maybe even Paleo!

Thanks to Kelly, Jennifer and Molly for assisting me over the past few months on my nutrition aspect! It's constant work in progress. You have to do what is right for YOU and YOUR body! For ME this is the first time that my stomach doesn't hurt, I'm not starving or eating pre-packaged foods and actually losing weight by simply working out and eating right.

I want to leave you on a final note...
I often see posts on Twitter about people asking, "Is this healthy?" or "Give me some healthy meal ideas!" I want to remind you that "healthy" is all relative and means something different to each person. My vision of healthy is not the same as a vegan of vegetarians. Someone may think eating low-fat and sugar-free is "healthy" and in my mind it is most certainly not. We're all at different stages in our nutrition journey and you need to remember that. The one thing that IS a one-size-fits-all eating plan/diet (ewww-the dirty D word) /lifestyle is CLEAN EATING. Figure out what works for you continue on your journey :)


If you have any clean eating products that you buy and think should make the list- LET ME KNOW! I'd love to hear what goes in your shopping cart!

Sweet & Savory Roasted Butternut Squash

I've had butternut squash plenty of times but I've never made roasted butternut squash. I had a HUGE squash and decided to try out two different recipes.  They were delciious and I wish I could've bottled up the delectable smells in my house yesterday! Make these! You won't be diasppointed!

Sweet (on the left) and Savory (on the right)

 Sweet Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

Honey (raw preferred)
Coconut oil
Cinnamon
1 large butternut squash (I used 1/2 for the sweet and 1/2 for my savory butternut squash)

Directions:
1. Peel, cut and cube your squash (it can also be purchased pre-cut at Trader Joe's. I will most certainly be doing this next time.)
2. Melt 1-2 tablespoons of coconut oil on the stove (the more you use, the more "mushy" -like sweet potatoes- it becomes. The less, the more likely they will burn or be darker) .
3.Drizzle honey over the squash
4. Sprinkle Cinnamon over the squash.
5. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

 Savory Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients:
Truffle Oil
Italian Herbs (I had a seasoning from Penzeys Spices called Pizza Dash.)
Pepper

Directions:
1. Peel, cut and cube your squash (it can also be purchased pre-cut. I will most certainly be doing this next time.)
2. Drizzle truffle oil on your squash
3.Sprinkle the seasonings and pepper on the squash
4. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees.

The savory roasted squash tastes great by itself but also added wonderful flavor to a salad with chicken and other vegetables! Nom!

Do you have another butternut squash recipe that you LOVE? Let us know and we'll feature it on Fit Girl in Progress!

Update: I had a few readers contact me in regards to buying the pre-cut butternut squash. The last two times that I bought them, they went bad (gooey and mushy) about 3 days before the "best by" date. I went to Trader tonight and they gave me a full refund for the squash. They also let me know that they're putting in a notice to qquality coordinators at corporate.