The cleanse and being well

I start off with, our summer has been fantastic! We have now seen Kelsey, Brett and Bennett, traveled to Vegas with some of our dearest friends, been leading and spending time with our city group, celebrating The Aguilars and The Forsythes through weddings...now we are breathing for a moment. It's fun to take it all in. It's fun to live in a community of people that enjoy celebration, family, and quality time.  It's a blessing to have our two families so close.  It's memorable to be spending our first year of marriage, surrounded by such amazing people and participating in new events....yet we want to stay well and healthy.

As all of the fun will continue through the fall (marathon training, more friends having babies and getting married, etc) I decided to take a break from my normal food routine (diet, pattern of eating, whatever you might call it), and cleanse/renew/focus on Christ through it all.  Some of my friends/readers may say, "You're a dietitian, don't you eat well all the time?"  or "You eat better than 95% of normal people," or..."why do you need to lose weight?" I laugh thinking about some of the replies that I've heard. Well, folks, it's really not about any of those things.  Being obedient to the Lord in the way that I am treating my body is my primary purpose. Taking a break from things like: beef, dairy (boo...no mozzarella), fungi (mushrooms), caffeine, chocolate and wine (for Chase: whataburger, mashed potatoes, pizza and chick Fil a).  As a "foodie" these things are some of my favorites to cook with, eat/share with others, and are lovely things that were created for enjoyment. We are just resting from them for a bit. 

So the cleanse starts tomorrow. 

Chase will be on it for 10 days.

I will go for 24 days (maybe more).

I will probably get headaches.  

My training runs will probably max out at 4 miles.

My sleep cycle will probably improve. 

My skin will improve (trust me, I will be drinking a gallon or more a day of H2O)

My heart, mind and body will thank me. 

And most importantly, I will focus on things that matter: Christ and his creation. Us. I cherish how He created me with detail and purpose in mind. I'm excited. 

Notes:

We will continue to eat with you, friends.

We will continue to pursue cool, fun restaurants - even if it means smelling your dinner and glass of wine (Stacy) until we can eat all of it again.

Hope you are treating your bodies well and finding strength in Christ alone. 

My CM run tonight brought it a few gems... Here's to our week for $80! :) 

(Only wishing I still had all my CSA veggies)

lately in my kitchen

As mentioned in my new year's resolution list....I would be cooking new recipes at least once a week.  As little as I have posted online, I have done really well!  I think my man has noticed too. :)

What's been happening with your resolutions?

((Note:  not all that you are about to see would I recommend eating weekly.  notably the poptarts, yet highly tasty and addictive, they are very calorically dense and very rude to your butt.))

Since my last post on Stacy's yummo kale chips....

 Giada's turkey and spinach taquitos & avocado hummus  

(photo courtesy of her website - link above)

(photo courtesy of her website - link above)

I didn't serve crispy pita chips.  I actually bought low carb flat pita bread, cut them into wedges and lightly brushed them with OO and sea salt and others with chili powder, toasted them in the oven at 350 until warm.  They were delish!  Try pairing the hummus with any of your favourite sliced veggies.

Chicken Enchiladas 

excuse the poor picture and lighting...

Their story: I made them the Friday evening before our church women's retreat.  We were all supposed to meet up at 7 or so at the hotel downtown.   I knew I hadn't prepared anything new for the week, so I gave these puppies a try.  Turns out they were a hit by my hubby.  Hint:  I had two and there were none left on Sat when I got home....  Regarding their recipe, I made it up.
1 pkg corn tortillas
olive oil
1 bottle Trader Joes enchilada sauce
1 package split, boneless chicken breasts (2-3) (Tip: you could def use rotisserie or leftover chicken that you've made during the week.  I, of course, chose to squeeze in cooking raw chicken on a night I had to be somewhere.)
seasonings I used on my chicken: cumin, garlic powder, sea salt, pepper
1 package shredded cheddar or monterrey jack cheese (1-2 cups)
1/2 stick of low fat cream cheese (4 oz) (unless you can't do dairy...and then, well this isn't your recipe)

Preheat oven to 350.
Assemble fillers:  shred cooked chicken and mix with 1 cup shredded cheese, cream cheese and little bit of the enchilada sauce to make it sticky.
Drizzle 1/2 cup or so of enchilada sauce into the bottom of an 8.5 x 11" baking dish or whatever you have that's long enough for the 6" tortillas to fit.
Warm 2 tortillas in microwave inside a damp paper towel for 10-15 sec.
Remove tortillas (you may need to add olive oil in your fingers to keep the tortillas from flaking apart)  and gently add your chicken/cheese fillers and roll up.
Gently place in baking dish.
After you get your dish full, add the remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle with 1/2-1/3 cup cheese.
Bake until bubbly....20 minutes or so.
Serve with salsa, tabasco or other hot sauce and sprinkle with cilantro, if you have it.

Pop-tarts for Village

{miniatures for my co-workers kiddos}

{full-sized; cinnamon sugar on left-blackberry on right}

{Shanda, I love my silpat! here's a little up close shot before
adding the vanilla bean sugar glaze}

These were so much fun to assemble, bake and share with our friends.   Recipe here.  They are definitely worth baking and modifying with inner ingredients that you and your family enjoy (nutella, nuts, peanut butter, other flavor preserves, or as my hubby requested, cheese or pizza sauce).  We'll see if that happens.  I used regular unbleached flour, but I plan on trying whole wheat pastry or gluten free flours next time.  I also read around on the web for awhile before planning on these.  I didn't want them to be a puff pastry.  Some of the others I found online looked delicious, but they didn't look like Kelloggs.  

Breathe. I know, pastries, Hannah?  You're a dietitian.  Ok, so here's where we're at this week.

fresh squeezed juice

{these make my mouth water}

 
We received a juicer for our wedding.  Thankfully, I researched recipes for awhile before delving into juicing at the akin abode.  It can be highly expensive and time consuming for those not prepared.  I had great dreams of juicing daily and drinking it 2-3 times/day, however, when you get into it, it's not practical.

My recipes have included:
apple-ginger-juice
carrot-apple-ginger-juice
carrot-spinach-apple-ginger-juice
grapefruit juice
grapefruit-ginger juice
blueberry-spinach-mint juice

Side note: We have a Jack LaLanne's juicer - centrifugal, meaning it extracts juice and leaves the pith, skins and pulp.  I have been reserving this for other things: breads, soups, stews and used right back in any drink to make it thicker.  Make sure you don't throw out all of that $$ nutrition!!

Positive note:  I juiced twice this week!   Plan people.  You can do it!

Remember your green, in-season produce.

Here are a few sites that have inspired me.
Lunch Box Bunch
Camille Styles
Healthy Girls Kitchen
Oh Joy!

Have a wonderful FRIDAY and weekend (insert song of choice here)!