From Sunday June 27th 2010

Waking up this morning to a sore body was something to smile about. I started back up with yoga yesterday. I took kind of a hiatus from Sumits since my two week new student unlimited was up. I started looking around for another studio. Reason? Cost. This is where Blissful comes in. I went to a hot yoga I/II. I actually felt accomplished in that class :) I also like that Blissful has more than just hot yoga. They have wall yoga (yes wall), vinyasa, hot yoga, yinyasa, Intro, I/II, II/III, and a few more.. I am looking very forward to the different classes I have this week. Plus they are 105 a month instead of 175 @ sumits!

Since working on the body is going good I can also say the rework of what we eat. I started thing a lot about what is actually in the "pre-mixed" packages we purchase. Cake mixes, french onion soup mix, drinks... they are all chock full of hfcs, or corn syrup solids, or any kind of corn syrup. That is what makes you fat. While watching the documovie "King Corn" the two guys actually find the recipe for hfcs and make it. It required 2 or 3 different chemicals at an extreme heat to convert corn to hfcs. I did a little researching and found that hfcs tells your brain that you are still hungry. That you need more of the food with hfcs. When people talk about wanting Taco Bell because it is "crack" they are almost literal. So I have been steering clear of all hfcs. If you ask me I prefer to sweeten with sugar. Real sugar. Yes real sugar makes you fat as well, but at least you know it came from the ground without chemicals. I do buy organic sugar. Besides having koolaid again in the summer is too nice. So back to the original point i have decided to try and make most of our food from scratch. That sounds so intensely neurotic, but it also is kind of cool to have control over what goes in your food. I found a great recipe for a "wet dough" that you can make in bulk and can be left in the fridge for a week while taking parts and baking the bread each night on motherearthnews.com I've been working on doing a whole week of eating from scratch but healthy. I have incorporated a lot of veggies and fruit into our diet and insert fibrous grains like brown rice and kashi fire roasted crackers (which are amazing). The ole bowel system loves all the fiber (and yoga). We also now rarely have beef unless it is usda organic grass feed. Cows aren't meant to eat corn and grain. They are herbivores. Grass. Majority of our protein is now coming/will be coming from beans, legumes, chicken, pork, and a little bit of tofu.

A few nights ago I made Teriyaki Chicken bowls. The kind that remind me of Teriyaki Chicken Bowl Restaurant in ABQ. My mom gave me a fabulous Cuisnart Wok for Christmas one year and it has been a champ. It has the deep wok part, but also has a steamer tray then the lid. Everything I used was found at Fresh and Easy. Again I try to incorp whatever in season veggies F&E has..

Teriyaki Chicken Bowls

3-4 Chicken Breasts (sub in tofu or any other meat)
1/2 tablespoon Sesame Oil (I eyeball it and just kind drizzle a little)
2-3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (same here on the eyeball)
1 head cabbage cut head in half and into medium sized chunks
1 yellow squash sliced thin/thick
1 package asian veggie mix (broccoli, carrots, sugar peas)
1 bell pepper cut in strips
1 onion cut into chunks
1 tablespoon garlic minced
1 Bottle Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce
4 cups uncooked brown rice
Salt and Pepper to taste

First get your rice cooking. I throw mine in a rice cook (LOVE) and let it do its magic. I recommend either steamed brown rice or brown rice in a pan. The bagged stuff is horrible. trust me. Once the rice is going next up is the chicken. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken. Coat the bottom of the Wok (or deep pan) with the sesame oil and olive oil and allow it to get hot at medium/medium high. Once the oil is hot add the chicken to the pan and allow to sear on one side. Proceed to cook the chicken until cooked through. Once chicken is cooked through poor about half of the Teriyaki sauce and garlic in the pan over the chicken. Turn the chicken several times to coat both sides. If you have a steamer this is a great time to steam your veggies. Reduce heat down to low medium/medium heat. While the chicken is in the wok in the sauce I put my steaming tray on which goes over the wok. I load all of my cut up veggies in and place the lid on it all to steam itself to heaven. I continuously check on both veggies and chicken while they continue to cook. Once the veggies are almost done I remove the chicken and slice it into strips. I add it back into the sauce and allow it to cook 5 more minutes. Once the chicken is done plate up the feast in a bowl! First put the brown rice on the bottom of the bowl, then a generous helping of the veggies followed by some chicken and the pan sauce. Devourer!!


Tonight we had turkey burgers and corn on the cob and potato salad.

The turkey burgers were made from scratch and a bit of a secret someone shared with me about moist burgers..

1 package ground turkey ( F&E usually sells them about a 1lb and a half give or take)
2 tablespoons organic ketchup (ya the other stuff has hfcs!)
1/4 cup diced onions
1 egg
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon garlic
whole wheat buns
the fixins: miracle, mustard, ketchup, pickles, tomatoes, and avocado
F&E potato salad
grilled sweet corn in the husks

Combine in bowl: turkey, egg, ketchup, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper. Once combined make hamburger patties and lay out on wax paper. Leave the corn in the husks. Cut the tips of the husks and any strings or loose leaves off. Proceed to grill. Place corn on grill. Let cook for 10 minutes. Place hamburgers on grill and cook both corn and burgers until done. Dustin and I topped our burgers with an extra sharp cheddar. Once burgers and corn are done dress and eat!!


I hope that sharing my recipes will help give others a healthy dinner in the midst of repetitive dinners :)

Tomorrow night is Lasagna! Sauce and bread from scratch :D

Parents will be here Friday! I will be planning a whole week of meals for while they are here and will let you know. I'm kind of thinking about writing a cookbook. If anything just for me and dustin and one day our kids :) maybe a combo of my recipes and some that my parents have passed to me <3

Ash.