Citrus Pepper Chicken and Sauteed Turnip Greens with a Mixed Green Salad!

Eating Healthy Does NOT have to taste bad :)

I started out with a few buckets of greens given to me by a fellow gardener friend and I decided to make something that was healthy and yet tasted amazing.

I had never had turnip greens before and decided to cook them down like I would kale or spinach. I first sorted trimmed the greens down.

Isn't this lettuce beautiful? Such a piece of art I love to work with fresh lettuce straight from the garden it makes for the best salads.

Next I washed the greens down and soaked them for a few minutes.  I suggest soaking them and draining them a few times to get all of the dirt washed off.

Then laid the greens out on towels to make sure they were nice and dry.

I then washed, chopped and prepared everything else I would need for the chicken marinade, pepper saute, turnip green saute and the salad. Basically whatever aromatics, citrus fruits, and veggies I had laying around.

I marinated the chicken in a plastic bag with olive oil, chopped onion, chopped garlic, bell peppers, juice of half a lemon, lime, orange, and various spice (see recipe below)

Recipes

Citrus Pepper Chicken

Marinade:

Chicken Breast

1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Half of bell pepper chopped

1/4 C chopped onion

2 cloves garlic chopped

Juice of half a lemon, lime and orange

1/4 teaspoon thyme, rosemary, poultry seasoning, pepper, and salt

Take the chicken out of the marinade and place on a hot skillet and cook for 5-7 min each side :)

Pepper Saute:

Half of a red bell pepper (chopped)

1/4 Red Onion (chopped)

Dash of red wine vinegar or wine

Throw the pepper mixture right in the pan after you take the chicken out and cook until the peppers and onion are soft and slightly caramelized.

Sauteed Turnip Greens

3 cups of fresh and clean turnip greens

One slice of bacon 

1/4 c pecans

1 teaspoon Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Place sliced bacon in hot skillet and cook down, add olive oil and pecans until the nuts are slightly brown 2-3 mins. Add turnip greens and cook until slightly wilted approx 5 mins

Mixed Green Salad

Mixed fresh lettuces, spinach and kale

Then add any veggie you may have in your refrigerator I added:

Shredded carrots

Red Cabbage Chopped

Broccoli Chopped

Pecans and Walnuts

***Note*** I absolutely hate measuring things out I eyeball everything****

The Value of Food

Being raised in a small town in Kansas and having the privilege of enjoying fresh homemade meals most of my life, I thought everyone was as lucky as me and knew how to cook and cared about their food. Being the baby in the family with older siblings and working parents I grew up at grandma and grandpa's house. How lucky was I? 2 meals there and then dinner at home that was equally as good.

  I observed and later participated in food prep that most kids and adult these days don’t ever get to experience.  My grandparents were both my short order chefs to delicious food and special packed lunches, I refused to eat school food ewww! That was when it was actually edible, I had no idea how spoiled I was, didn’t everyone have it this way?

 Now as a personal trainer, nutritional consultant and wellness coach… the answer is a huge screaming, overwhelming …NO, NO, NO!

As a child I had no idea that my “love affair” with food would shape my life so much as an adult. I didn’t realize that the garden fresh veggies I helped grow and hours of snapping green beans would affect my choices as an adult.  I hated snapping all those damn green beans but the fresh buttered sweet corn cooked straight out of the garden, totally made up for it.

 Man I could go on all day taking about food and memories but my point is that as a society we have devalued our food. I am continually shocked when my clients tell me what they are eating on a daily basis. I would say 80% have not a clue where their food came from or really what it is even doing for them. Did society and our schools really fail us this bad in nutrition education, obviously so!

When I tell people I grow chemical free veggies/herbs relatively cheap and easy they look at me like I just invented the light bulb. This makes me very sad but not as sad as all the overweight kiddos running around who eat something prepacked or fast food for several meals a day. The fruit and veggies are virtually nonexistent or when I ask about veggies the reply is canned corn and potatoes :( what? Kids today are missing out and not only that, the nutrition value of the food that most are eating is crap…… just drive by your local school yard and check out the size of children these days.  It breaks my heart! The problem will not just fix itself if we ignore it.

I understand we live in a crazy world these days of go, go, go but what people don’t understand is that fresh healthy food is possible in the amount of time you can cook a frozen pizza, it is just as cost effective if you know what to look for. Planning ahead, learning to cook as a family, buying local, shopping for what’s in season, getting to know your local farmer and not buying into main stream media or major food corporations lies. Yes, lies and the sad part is that they know what they are saying are lies but most don’t care. Money talks :(

 Maybe it is my passion for food, my compassion for everyone struggling with being overweight, unhealthy, depressed or disease ridden, or maybe it’s my fierce anger at major food corporations and the governments AG system that tells us what to eat and we do it without questioning….Grrrr! 

But the good news is this can be stopped and reversed with some effort (ok alot of effort). Start caring about the food you and your family consume, educate yourself, read and share, ask questions, stop believing the major food corps lies and take back control of your kitchen, your food, your health and your lives. If you don’t who will?

I love to end my rants with a personal note but the pic below says it all! I love food and love, love, love to eat it even more :) Have a blessed day! -Carey

Mind set to start a weight loss program

For most people who come to me looking for help losing weight or getting in shape the thought of exercise does not sound fun. They may know that they will have to do it, but no one is over joyed about it. It’s the same with food in the beginning, everyone knows they are going to have to give up some of the things they don’t want to, but they are not overjoyed about it. The common response is “this is going to be hard”, “Yes it is, but you can do it….. it’s all a mindset” I say.

Your mindset and the way that you think about exercise and nutrition plays a huge part in having long term successful weight loss and health.  In the beginning, it is very hard and the voices in your head will be telling you all kinds of lies. Reality is that it's really all about your own internal voice and what it is saying to you. Is it saying you can’t do something? Is it telling you that you are inadequate? Or those really bad foods are your friends or worse have control over you?

It’s funny how the mind plays tricks on us. Our minds can override our bodies, hearts, and our instincts. It can make us do things we know we shouldn’t and sometimes our minds turn on us too….Guilt and Shame. We allow our minds to have us believing we are weak. Too weak to lift heavy weights, too weak to push hard and too weak to not eat that cookie, soda, chips, or ice cream. Most of my clients have had children and they look at me and say “but I couldn’t stop or say no”. Really? You birthed a child and now you want me to believe that a cookie is holding you hostage? Take your power back people. It’s your life, you can decide what is best for you, not the food.

Today I was stopped at the gym and asked “what are you training for”? Life... I’m a personal trainer and I want my own results. “Wow you really work hard, I mean really hard” he said. That is because I know what it takes to get what I want. I know I must work hard, I must push myself, and I must be conscious of my thoughts at all times and not allow anything other than positive self-talk to creep into my head.

The same is true for starting a weight loss program, you have to replace the insecurities and feelings of fear with positive up lifting talk. I’m an excellent pep talker to my clients and to myself. I have little “one on one pep talks” with myself at the gym all the time. Telling myself I am strong, I am confident, I don’t care what anyone else is doing or saying, I am here because I am important, I want to feel and look good, and most of all yes I can do this! I got this all day and all night too :)

I’ll end this with my own personal crawling moment story… A few months ago I was working out like crazy trying to get back in shape and drop the weight. I was working out twice a day and one night I went to a kickboxing class taught by a fellow trainer. I was tired when I walked into the door and lets just say she kicked my ever loving ass up and down…At one point I was crawling around on the floor because that was all I could do to stay moving. Luckily there was another guy down there with me just crawling around, he looked at me and smiled and said "at least I'm not alone" and I said “And I’m a personal trainer over here”.  I have crawled just like you, just change your thinking if you want to change your life. Make the decision to just go do it -Carey

I Don't want to get sick H20 Part II!

 I Don't want to get sick H20 Part II

So after hearing about all the illness that is circulating and me continuing the endless fight to "not get sick".... probably just jinx myself...oh well. I have been sipping, well more like chugging as much of this awesome naturally favored H2O as possible. 

I did a little research and after some contemplation I came up with my own concoction that I am sure will keep me healthy, hydrated and feeling good :) 

Ingredients:

Purified water (enough to fill pitcher continuously)

1 Medium size orange (sliced)

1 Lime (sliced)

1 Lemon (sliced)

3-4 Strawberries Sliced

1/2 a cucumber sliced (5-6 pieces)

Fresh sliced ginger (5-6 pieces)

Fresh Mint (5-10 leaves) muddled/crushed/chopped ( * adjust according to your own taste*)

What does all of this do for your water you ask?

Oranges - Vitamin C, potassium, folate and Flavonoids
Limes- Aids in digestion, Potassium, Vitamin C
Lemons- Alkalize the body, liver detox, Vitamin c, citrus biflavonoids
Strawberries - Vitamin C, photo chemicals (antioxidants)
Ginger - Aids in digestion,anti-inflammatory, carminative, anti-flatulent, and anti-microbial properties plus potassium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. 
Cucumber - anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, vitamin C, potassium, natural anti-diuretic
Mint - Aids in digestion

Detox Natural Flush Herbal Water

Detox/ Natural Flush/ I Don't want to get sick H20!

Everyone knows if you get sick you need to flush your system but.... what you may not know is by adding a few ingredients to your water you can make it easier to drink,  which increases the amount you consume! AWESOME!  But also you can increase the vitamin, mineral, herbal healing benefits and immune system fighting effects :) Please just trust me!

Ingredients:

Purified Water
2 Lemons (sliced)
1 Orange (sliced)
10 slices fresh ginger (cut into 1/2-1 inch strips)
6 slices of fresh cucumber 
1 tbs dried cilantro ( was all I had) can use handful fresh cilantro, mint, spearmint or basil

Drink as much as you can while under the weather :( Each ingredient helps your body with its own healing property but the ginger alone will help with upset stomach and nausea :)

Quick and Easy Shrimp

Quick and Easy Shrimp

Before I get off on a soap box about factory farming, major food industry and the main stream food media I want to stop and share what I call “quickie von quick quick shrimp”! It is fast, easy, healthy and “gasp” tasty! This recipe is a fast easy lunch or left over snack…never lacking on flavor...Never!

Place into plastic bag or bowl: Marinate 5 mins or 5 hours depends on your schedule :)
-1 lbs Fresh or frozen (thawed) raw shrimp (5-8 per person) 
-1 Teaspoon-ish of extra virgin olive oil (just enough to lightly cover shrimp)
-¼-1/2 fresh juice of a lemon or a squirt of bottled lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon liquid Cajun spice (optional)

Spices:
-2 shakes (1/4 tsp)  Cajun seasoning/ Steak seasoning or any Mrs. Dash Seasoning;
-2 shakes (1/4 tsp) garlic powder or ½ teaspoon minced garlic
-2 shakes (1/4 tsp) dill weed
-1 shake (1/8-1/4 ish tsp)of thyme
-1 shake (1/8 tsp) of black pepper

Place in a hot skillet 2-3 mins each side:)  Cook until pink on both sides :) Pair with a fresh spinach salad, quinoa, or steamed veggies for a complete meal! NO excuses this is fresh, fast food :) Enjoy

Mirror Writing and Motivation

Mirror Writing and Motivation

So there I was alone with the pup in CO and had been eating/drinking whatever I wanted not really exercising..Hell there was no one to tell me what to do, how to do it or even give me that look...Awww total freedom! 

But with all this new found freedom came a lack of motivation. Sometimes I let bad thoughts about myself creep into my head and set up shop :) With no one to stop and shake me and tell me I was over thinking things my mind wondered and wondered for days sometimes into a not very healthy place. What the hell was I doing? Where was I going in life? What were my goals here? Could I really just live hiding ? I had to do something. I wasn't even sure who the person in the mirror was that I saw staring back.

A good friend of mine once mentioned that a speaker she was listening to used to write his goals and dreams on the mirrors in his house so every day he would be reminded of what he wanted.  Awesome Idea I though because for me writing on paper is a very difficult thing (we will discuss my issues with writing later). So I invested in some overhead projector markers and decided to see where this mirror writing would take me. Needless to say every mirror in my house was written on and I loved it. I wrote quotes, inspirational messages and positive self-talk messages everywhere. It forced me to remember that I matter and that I am the most important person in my own life and most of all that real LOVE …begins with loving yourself. 

 There is so much shame, anxiety and guilt associated with being overweight and unhealthy and most of the time this holds us back. We sometimes feel defeated, helpless and out of control with some of our unhealthy behaviors.  We don’t even realize that our own internal voices are being so negative, so mean and keeping our happiness hostage :)  We beat ourselves up and then hide in the shame and guilt of what we have or have not done. 

 It does not have to be this way! I know it sounds cliche but if you tell yourself enough times how great you are sooner or later you will start to believe it…SO tell yourself how beautiful your body and soul are, write out just how tough you are, or simply remind yourself how important you are…Love yourself…Love yourself a lot! Get some markers and start writing…Change is not easy but start writing and see where you go. No one else can do it for you! Love yourself everyday….see your own beauty…others will follow your lead!

I do know that everyday I woke up and saw something I had written the day before I smiled. Sometimes I even questioned did I actually write that...LOL! Love, Love, Love yourself and never ever forget the single most important person in your life is YOU! Take care :) -Carey