Treated with Simplistic Goodness

I love having clean eating friends!  Last Friday, one of Mr. & I's favorite couples treated us with an awesome clean meal the night before our big kayaking excursion. In my opinion, it's often the most simplistic of ingredients that is the most impressive!  I so very much enjoyed  all of the purple ingredients used as part of this meal. Purple has, after all, been recently praised as the new green.

Yellow Peppers, Purple Potatoes, Red Onion, and Garlic
Drizzled with a little Olive Oil and Organic Seasonings

Did you know that purple potatoes are linked to lowering your blood pressure? In a new study by Joe Vinson, PhD, a chemistry professor at the University of Scranton, purple potatoes were found to lower blood pressure as well as oatmeal can without adding unwanted pounds, due to the high levels of phytochemicals found in purple potatoes. Read more...

Awesome Tilapia topped with Red Onions, and Organic Seasonings --
Garlic, Sea Salt, Red Pepper Flakes, Ground Pepper...

All prepared easily on the grill and done in a matter of minutes. 
Thanks for treating us J & D with such deliciousness! 

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,

Mrs. Skinny Fat

Indian Summer Dinner

The weather today in Michigan was glorious!  Low 70's and not a cloud in the sky.  Later this week temps are predicted to reach 78 degrees - a little warmth was just what I needed!  Ahhh, an Indian Summer.  To be specific on what exactly that means an Indian summer is, according to Wikipedia, a meteorological phenomenon that occurs in the autumn.  It refers to a period of considerably above normal temperatures...Hey, I'll take that! 

Tonight's meal was inspired by the warmer temperatures.  A salad loaded with veggies combined with a little outdoor grilling.  I look forward to soaking up this sun and food alike the rest of this week...take it in while you can friends!

Organic Michigan Grown Cabbage -
I'm not exactly sure of the type but it was fantastic

Salad Made with Love - Spinach, Cabbage, Green Peppers, Red Onions,
Avocado, and Shaved Carrots

 Lots of Ground Pepper and a Splash of Balsamic Vinaigrette

Add Grilled Chicken and a Sweet Potato to the Mix

Mmmm so GOOD and Oh so CLEAN!

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,
Mrs. Skinny Fat

My Favorite Thing Friday

Who doesn't love Fridays!  Today seems like the perfect day to kick off a new weekly feature called, "My Favorite Thing Friday".  As the name unveils, every Friday from here on out I will feature something that I just can't live without!  From kitchen appliances, to supplements, to my favorite foods, we'll uncover all my best discoveries.

Today's favorite is so simple but it is truly my BFF.  It's none other than my favorite water bottle.  I have learned over the years that not all water bottles are created equal.  I have tried a variety of the seemingly best water bottles - from Siggs to the glass favorites - and while I oddly felt "good" about spending $20+ on a water bottle, I hated drinking out of them.  Yes, my water bottle has to be safe - BPA Free - but I also need to be able to down the water easily. 

Every morning, I jump start my body with drinking a liter of water and this carries on throughout the day 4 to 5 more times. My water bottle never leaves my side.  So while my cupboard is filled with all of the market's best, my go-to bottle is the Nalgene OTG (on-the-go) BPA Free bottle found at any major retailer. As the website describes, the Nalgene OTG bottle offers a easy one handed operation so you can pop the top and take a drink without letting go of your momentum...or anything else for that matter. They normally run around $10, but I was able to stock up recently for half-off.  A steal! 

                                  


What's your favorite water bottle? 

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,
MSF

Ohhh Treadmill We Meet Again

On my drive home from work this evening there was a light rain but the sun was shining bright.  It looked so romantic!  I was eager to take it all in with a long run outside.  I raced in the door, grabbed a snack, and started to gear up.  I was so anxious to get out and enjoy the daylight - felt like I couldn't get ready fast enough! About 90 seconds into the run, everything about the "romantic" sky started to turn really dark - then lightening - then downpour...it all happened within minutes. Thankfully, I wasn't far at all as I had no desire to get caught up in a crazy storm.

See why I ran home in fright?  Yikes!

So tonight for the first time in months, the treadmill and I were destined to reunite.  I've been dreading this day - mostly because it had been so long since I have had to use it that my mind was making it worse then what it actually is...if that makes sense.  While I love running, I do not love running on the treadmill.  So instead, I do a 60 minute program that KICKS my butt.  There's a whole lot of sprinting, some jogging, a little walking, and lots of incline.  At times, the program literally makes me feel like I may puke and yes, when this happens I feel kind of like a badass - a crazy one - but still! :)

During tonight's treadmill workout, I couldn't help but think about the Biggest Loser contestants.  How essentially every contestant during that very first time on the treadmill and all they can think/say is "I can't...I can't..." and the trainer is screaming at them to keep moving and to get their hands off the treadmill.  My heart always goes out to them because of how far they have to go to reach their goals.  As I let my mind wander thinking about their journey,  I look down and my hands are holding onto the treadmill. WHAT! I had just completed another set and had about 30 seconds of walking on the max incline. I never even realized that I automatically grabbed the front bars.  Crap!  I let go...and through the next 50 minutes I had to constantly remind myself to not grab the bars during those brief walking periods. It was so HARD. I swear it made the workout that much more intense. Clearly, just those 30 seconds of holding the bars after every set was like taking a mini - yet unnecessary - break.  The workout was excruciating as ever...and the sweat was dripping off my body.  I had to morph my mind into that of a trainer and scream at myself internally, "Let GO of my Treadmill. Why Are you Holding on the Treadmill? Don't be WEAK!"

Treadmill, you didn't go easy on me...but I think I held my own pretty well.  I certainly will be able to rest easy tonight knowing I owned those grueling 60 minutes.  To our many more reunions, as darkness comes faster and the nasty weather - sadly - makes its way here.

Until we meet again.

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,
MSF

Quinoa Pasta, Cannellini Beans & Sauteed Greens

Sometimes a girl just craves pasta!  One of my favorite concoctions is made up of three basic ingredients; pasta, spinach, and canellini beans.  It's so simple - and so yummy!  Even those who frown at the thought of eating "healthy" will love this dish! 

I've been exploring with Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) a lot lately as I keep reading about all of its amazing health benefits.  While shopping, I was beyond excited to find a great quinoa pasta to test out as part of this dish.  As I mentioned, Quinoa is loaded with nutrients - my favorite of which is that it is rich in protein content. In fact, it is a complete protein as it contains all the essential amino acids, especially lysine, which is required by the body to grow and repair tissues.  It has a high content of manganese in it, which acts as antioxidant in the body.  And, while the list goes on and on, I'll conclude by noting that it is also a wonderful source of fiber for the body! 

New to quinoa? Read up on it and you'll be just as eager as me to explore new quinoa rich dishes! 
 
Quinoa Pasta, Cannellini Beans & Sauteed Greens 

Ingredients Needed - Serves 2+ Lots of Leftovers for Lunches! You can easily cut this recipe in half....I just like lots of it in my fridge :)

1.  1 Box of Quinoa Pasta as shown below in the pic - Highly recommend trying Ancient Harvest Supergrain.  It's available at most major grocery stores in the Gluten Free section. 
2.  2 15 Ounce Cans of Organic Cannellini Beans (no salt added) - my favorite name for canned beans is Eden Foods
3.  2 10 Ounce Frozen Organic Cut Spinach - Cascadian Farm is one of my favorites... you can of course use fresh as well! 
4.  Soy Oil

5.  Garlic Cloves, Ground Pepper, & Sea Salt

3 Basic Steps

1.  Cook pasta according to directions on package.
2.  Heat soy oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and ground pepper; stir until garlic is pale golden, about 1 minute. Add spinach and stir until thawed.  Top with more ground pepper and a dash of sea salt. 
3.  Take cannellini beans, add to a sauce pan, and cook on medium heat. Mash to your liking -  add lots of ground pepper with a touch of sea salt.

Simple, right?

As the package reads, "You'll never go back to plain noodles again!" -
The texture & taste was perfecto! :)

All Cooked - You know it's good pasta when you like it plain!

Qunioa Pasta topped with Spinach, Topped with Cannellini Beans -
Add a Side of Steamed Carrots!  So Good!

Up Close & Personal - Super Delish and Hits the Spot Every Time!

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,
Mrs. Skinny Fat

Broken Finger Setback

Saturday was my best friend's wedding.  I haven't even had the opportunity to write about yet.  The entire day I was without a computer...yeah, I'm not quite sure how I made it either. The day was picture perfect - and I, of course, will be writing about it soon enough.

That evening while burning calories on the dance floor I pulled off some fancy move that left me with a broken finger. I didn't realize it was broken at the time as after three glasses of wine my pain tolerance was rather high.  Sunday, I woke up to a throbbing finger and distant memories of clutching my hand in discomfort the night before. Even though everyone I asked said it was fine, I decided to visit the ER and get xrays - I just wanted to be rest assured that it would heal properly.  All the while at the hospital, I was feeling rather silly for even coming.  So you can imagine, I was quite shocked to learn that it was indeed fractured. 

So here I am.  My once 90+ word per minute typing (just guessing here) has now dwindled down to about 10.  I am well aware that there's a gazillion things that would be worse than a minor broken finger setback, but I am human.  Frustration does hit me here and there when tasks - such a typing -  takes me 10x longer than it normally would. 

There's a lesson in everything, right? Perhaps my patience needed to be tested some.  Over these next four weeks of healing,  bear with me as I work my way through the kitchen, getting my posts up, responding to your emails, and making the workouts happen.  Tomorrow I meet with my trainer...should be interesting!

"A man who is a master of patience is a master of everything else." - George Savile

In the meantime...

Keep it clean & enjoy the ride!

MSF

"I have stumbled upon something truly life changing..." - Kait M.

Want to feel motivated to start your journey down the path to clean eating?  Or maybe you just need a inspiration to get back in the game ... For all newbies to amazing lifestyle - this is a MUST read!  

Let me start by saying that my absolute favorite thing about this blog is the emails, text messages, Facebook posts, and phone calls that I have received from so many people right here in my own network.   In essentially every corner of my life, I am learning of someone new who's decided to adapt the clean eating principles. It's truly heart warming to know that each and every day, people of all ages - for all reasons - are kicking their old habits and making the decision to INVEST in their health! 

The world of Clean Eating welcomes Kait M.

Recently, I was truly inspired by a full-time business professional, part entrepreneur, and highly involved Mom of two who decided to take her poor eating habits head on.  She - like many moms - is the definition of BUSY.   As with everything she does, when it came to adapting the clean eating principles, it was either go big or go home.  As you probably guessed, she went all in! 

This story isn't about tip toeing around the idea of clean eating...or thinking about maybe getting to that...someday - it's about saying hello to feeling fabulous right now - for good!

Kait's Journey Starts Here.
MSF:  What made you decide to embrace clean eating?
Kait:  I’ve heard lots of chatter from friends over recent months about “eating clean” but I really had no idea what that meant.  Then someone explained to me that it was just eating natural, whole, real foods from the Earth.  Not all of that overly processed crap that I had sadly learned to live on.  Clean eating meant quite simply eating each meal with purpose, to supply my body with nutrients and fuel that it demands.  Among other things, clean eating also meant eating several small meals throughout the day.  Hmm..interesting I thought.  Then a friend challenged me to just one week of eating clean, just to see how I felt.  It didn't take more than a day to know that I had stumbled upon something truly life changing.

MSF:  What are your goals?
Kait:  Ideally, I just really want to get healthier and along the way teach my kids by example the importance of selecting healthy foods.  I'll gladly accept a leaner - more energized me as part of the package! 

MSF:  What have been the biggest challenges so far?
Kait:  By far the biggest challenge was my breaking my number one bad habit.  Drum roll please...diet coke.  Yep, I was terrified to kick my diet coke habit.  I quickly realized that my biggest opportunity to order a diet coke was when I ate out, and since I now packed and planned each meal I actually did even notice it was missing from my life!  I also had to learn to prepare things a little different, not drenched in oil and butter, but surprisingly with just a little seasoning, my food is still delicious without it. I'm learning that small changes lead to BIG results!

MSF:  Since clean eating, how many days did it take for you to "feel" differently? 
Kait:  Honestly, immediately.  I’ve also recently started drinking Shakeology each morning, and I really think that’s given me a great boost of energy through the day as well.

MSF:  Have you cheated?  If so, what made you cave? 
Kait:  Yes, once… on day 6.  Found myself low on groceries at home, and every Sunday my family and I eat at the buffet at church after service.  I was hungry, kids were hungry, it was easy and routine.  It was here that I had my first diet coke of the week.  I will say to my credit that I actually thought about each thing I was putting on my plate for the first time, and made some much healthier selections.  But with this slip - I chose to look forward and  got right back on the wagon that night.  Best of all, I had no desire to quit after my one week challenge.  I'm rounding the corner to my second week and loving it! 

MSF:  What's a typical eating plan look like for you in a day?
Kait:  I have to PLAN and PACK ahead in order to be successful.  I love that I get to eat all day long!  I start the day with my Shakeology, then around 10:00am I have some Greek yogurt and hard boiled egg whites. Then for lunch I’ve been packing a chicken breast, or a mini turkey meatloaf with LOADS of veggies. In the afternoon I usually bring lots of different fruit to snack on, and more hard boiled egg whites.  Then dinner has been broiled fish, or another lean piece of meat and more veggies.  I’ve felt completely satisfied all day, and get this...no more sweet cravings!  I constantly find myself thinking, is this for real? 

MSF:  How's your mood been over this past week?
Kait:  One word: Amazing!

MSF:  What has been the biggest reward so far?
Kait:  Feeling great about myself, a little extra pep in my step, my hair and skin are already starting to look better!  I am so thrilled about how I feel after almost two weeks. I can't wait to find out what the results are going to be a month from now! 

MSF:  Any weight loss?
Kait:  Yes, Ma’am… 3 LBS in a week!! And that’s 100% from food, not combined with exercise.  That's next on my list! 

MSF:  Any lastly, what's your biggest motivator?
Kait:  Reading about all the tremendous health benefits from the nutrient rich foods I am feeding my body makes me excited about the long-term payoff.  I also want to get my kids to start eating healthier, so eating by example is a must! Slowly I will start to introduce them to healthier alternatives to their favorite foods.  I know without a doubt that I am taking the right steps in the right direction.  While eating clean is a whole lot easier than I thought, I am nervous about sticking with it while dining out, and not letting my “old favorites” tempt me...so for me it's necessary to avoid restaurants - where temptations are lurking - until I’m a little more skilled at this new lifestyle.  I also remind myself that even if I do have a “dirty meal” every once in awhile, the clean eating I’m doing 90% of the time is paying off tremendously.  I know I can't learn it all at once - but I am confident I'll get there soon enough!

Congratulations Kait on this already super successful start to clean eating! We look forward to continuing with you on this exciting journey!  You've got this!!

Intrigued? I promise you that Clean Eating is the only way to eat.  It's not a diet - it's a lifestyle...one that guarantees results. What are you waiting for?  Join the movement TODAY. 

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,
Mrs. Skinny Fat

Do you have a clean eating story to tell? Email me at mrsskinnyfat@gmail.com - I would love to hear from you!