Perfect Pickles Please

Is your summer garden overflowing with cucumbers? Or maybe you have a neighbor who's offering them up. This refrigerator pickle recipe is so easy, anyone can do it. These are crispy, fresh and tangy.

There's no special equipment needed. Pickling is one way to hang onto summer for a few more weeks. These are easy on the waistline, a tasty way to perk up a sandwich or wrap, and kids love to eat them. 

To pickle anything, here's what you need: 

1 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup sugar or stevia

2 tbs salt

1/3 cup water

1 onion, thinly sliced 

3 cups sliced cucumber

Mix vinegar, water,sugar,salt until all are dissolved. Add veggies and seasonings. Store in a covered plastic container in the refrigerator. You can also use clean glass canning jars which make them perfect for sharing. 

Wash out the jars with soap and water and stack the pickles and onion slices inside, then add the liquid, garlic and peppers and pop the lids on. 

All pickles must be kept in refrigerator until eaten. They're ready to enjoy in about two days, if you can wait that long. Don't discard the juice, just keep adding more sliced vegetables. Don't pickle anything in a metal bowl. 

For flavor options, add chunks of garlic cloves, jalepeno pepper chunks, mustard seed, dill, fresh herbs--depending on the flavor you want. Feel free to adjust the sugar. You don't need much. The above vinegar is enough for 2-3,  6 ounce jars.

I like to jar these and give them as gifts. Just remind people to keep them in the refrigerator. They won't last long!--Especially if Maddie is around!

When You Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail

Do you know a lunch bag diva? She might own 6 different lunch bags or boxes, totes, coolers and assorted containers. She walks into work like she's planning a feast--when really, she's carrying in her two healthy snacks and midday meal because she's on a mission.

Want to succeed in the nutrition department? Cook, pack your meals and take them to work. If you want to kickstart your metabolism, you need to eat small meals throughout the day which include a protein, a good carb and some veggies. They don't sell that in vending machines--at least not where I work.

It's also a good idea to stock your desk drawer with snacks like almonds,  low sugar protein bars, and even an easy open can of tuna. That's to prep for those crazy days when you leave the house and leave that fantastic lunch on the kitchen counter. Or when you're just too swamped to cook.

If you work for 8 hours, you'll need a meal and up to two hearty snacks depending on your drive time. Greek yogurt is an excellent snack containing all the food groups and it's easy to take on the go. String cheese is also very portable. Most people need to eat 2 pieces to satisfy the body's protein needs. Add a serving size of whole grain crackers OR a piece of fruit and you have a decent meal that won't spike your blood sugar or make you crave the office crap in the corner cubicle.

Need a quick lunch? Save a portion from dinner and make that meal do double duty. If you're cooking chicken stir fry for dinner, cook a few extra ounces of chicken, add veggies and tomorrow, you eat like a queen.

Can you eat out with the gang? --once in a while. But here's the problem: restaurant meals are typically loaded with calories, fat and sodium, and virtually ANY meal you cook at home will be better for you that one served at a restaurant.

Have a strategey for eating out. Split a meal. Put half or more in a box. Order a salad that includes protein and order dressing on the side.

Let's face it. When you fail to plan, plan to fail!

Choosing the High Road

I'm trying to encourage my 14 year old son to run. Really, I'd like him to do anything that makes him sweat and raises his heart rate. Because our bodies are meant to move. We just feel better when we get that blood pumping and force oxygen into our muscles. After exercise, we think more clearly, we're more productive and we're in a better mood.

The other day, I gave my son a choice on our 2-mile jog: We could take the uphill road for a quarter mile, or stay on the flat trail. "Why would we take the hard way?,"  he asked.

I explained that when we accomplish difficult goals, or things we don't think we can do, we feel stronger and more powerful than we every imagined. Pushing ourselves outside our comfort zone makes us grow and gives us confidence in every area of life.  We started a few weeks ago with just a one mile run.

Will he get a side cramp? Will his legs ache? Yes, probably. But all that is temporary. It's the stuff we endure to reach the goal. Is it easy? No. But nothing worthwhile is easy.

It helps if you take little steps in that journey toward the goal. Walk first, then run. About 4 years ago, before I really kicked my fitness into gear, I would have never considered strapping on a pair of skis and heading for the hills. I skied when I was a teenager, zipping down the hill, out of control--barely surviving. Older now, and not so willing to risk a broken bone, there's much more caution. But that doesn't mean we stop taking risks.

My 14 year old son is a black diamond kind of guy. He has confidence and agility on skis that I will never have. But I've progressed over the years, from the bunny hill, to the green runs and this year, blue runs only. The first time I glimpsed at River Run in Dillon, Colorado, I told my family, "I will NEVER ski down that hill."

It was terrifying to even think about it. It was numbing to watch others swoosh down it. But with confidence, strength, determination...and yes, sometimes falling, we reach our goals.

This year on a confident run, I headed for the blue, with my family waving me off--telling me I was going in the wrong direction. I knew exactly where I was headed. And I skied that run over and over again--with the excitement of a toddler just learning to walk. My 14-year-old even cheered me on.

It didn't happen overnight. It wasn't easy. It was a VERY high road. And I'm a little stronger for it.

Lesson learned and taught.

Are Carbs Bad?

So many people have misconceptions about exactly what a carbohydrate, or "carb" is. They run from anything made of bread or pasta in fear of it sticking to their thighs or belly. There are a couple "diets" which remove starchy carbs--with the idea that carbs hinder weight loss.

You can eat bread, pasta and rice, and be healthy and lean. 
But the truth is, it's the quality, type and amount of carbohydrate that matters.

A carb is actually any food that gives the body energy. Most carb sources started by growing out of the ground, as a plant. And really, the lower we eat on the food chain, the more quality energy we'll get from our food.

A donut is a carb. (and a fat) It's a carb, because it gives us energy, but it's made with "refined" ingredients, white flour--flour which is stripped of its nutrients and bleached white.

Let's say this donut is 300 calories.





The fact is, this turkey enchilada is also 300 calories.

But it contains a different kind of carbs, called complex carbs. The enchilada is made with a small, whole grain tortilla, it is stuffed with a few black beans, ground turkey, and topped with lettuce and salsa. (these are vegetable carbs, natural wholesome foods that are unprocessed.)

Ok.. we're talking about two diffent foods that are 300 calories each. Big deal. Can you nutritionally swap one for the other? No. Your body knows the difference.

When you eat a donut, your body breaks down those refined sugars and carbs very quickly, because they were already broken down in the manufacturing process. Then, your blood sugar spikes and you have a sudden burst of energy. About an hour later, your body is trying to deal with the sudden onslaught of sugar, and your energy crashes.. so you reach for another donut. But don't do it!!!

When you eat the enchilada, you have a more superior form of energy in the whole grains, veggies and turkey. It's energy that lasts longer because it releases into your bloodstream gradually. The lean meat in the enchilada provides protein which keeps you fuller, longer and helps build lean, strong muscles. The black beans provide filling fiber and the salsa gives you flavor with few calories. You don't have sugar rush or crash and burn feeling of downing a few donuts.

Complex carbs give me excellent energy to push through grueling workouts and work harder--so I can burn more calories.

So how does this translate to eating bread and pasta? Chose whole grain bread, whole grain pasta and brown rice and keep the serving sizes small. I always tell people, have pasta, but make the serving the size of your fist. Then, have a big salad on the side. Stay away from white bread, white flour, white potatoes and sugar.

Eat a piece of crusty whole grain bread from the bakery, but then don't bread your chicken or pile potatoes on your plate.

Eat brown rice, quinoa, barley or farro. But eat about 1/3 of a cup cooked and round it out with vegetables. Our bodies need and want complex carbs to run, jump, think clearly and do all the amazing things we accomplish each day. But too much of any food like carbs, even "healthy" food, packs on the pounds and puts us at risk for all those diseases we don't like to talk about.

Yes. You can and should eat pasta if you want to!

Kitchen Staples For Clean Eating

What's in your kitchen? The answer may be the key to unlocking your weight loss and fitness potential. So start making some smart swaps. You have to transform your kitchen to transform your body.

 There are a few staples you'll want to work into the mix as you start to transition away from processed food into clean eating choices.

At the Stove:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Use it to saute veggies, and for baking, instead of butter. I also brush meats with olive oil, stir fry with it, and drizzle it on pasta. Use it sparingly. Don't act like a celebrity chef and swirl it into the pan!

• Cooking spray: I use an olive oil spray or a canola oil spray.  It's super convenient to coat a pan before cooking eggs, limiting calories. You can also spray it on chicken before grilling. Spray bottles like "Misto" are available at culinary stores and allow you to spray your own olive oil. 
• Coconut Oil: It's light, heart healthy and gives great flavor to stir frys. Flavored varieties are useful for baking. Remember, it's a "good" fat, but it's still a fat. Limit quantities of all oils.

In the Pantry: 

• Switch to whole grain flour: Or at least try to alter some of your baking recipes with half whole grain, half white flour. There's an excellent variety of whole wheat flour called "white" whole wheat, which is a softer grain and it's not so gritty.
• Choose whole grain pasta: It's a little nutty, but if you cook it a little longer, it won't be tough. Boil it in chicken broth or vegetable broth for a naked sauce option. Toss it with parmesean cheese and add veggies. Remember, a serving size is the size of your fist. 

A fist-size serving of pasta.

• Old Fashioned Oats: Move over instant oatmeal, this is an excellent energy source and whole grain. Eat 1/2 cup cooked with Stevia and berries on top.
• Brown Rice: Brown rice isn't stripped of its outer fiber layers like white rice. It gives you more fiber and more staying power in terms of delivering even energy to your body. 
• Beans: Dried, or canned, keep a supply of lentils, black beans and kidney beans to make a protein rich salad, side dish or soup. 
• Onions: Have them on hand for soups, stews, salads, and stir fry. I love to season ground meat with onions, making meatballs juicy and flavorful. 

On the Shelf: 

• Stevia: It's an all-natural, zero calorie sweetener that doesn't spike your blood sugar like honey or agave syrup. Use it in place of sugar in the same ratios. 
• Spices: Eating clean doesn't mean giving up flavor. Choose a flavor profile like Italian, or Tex-Mex, and spice up your food. Italian flavors include basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Tex-Mex includes cumin, chili powder and cilantro. Experiment with flavors that make you happy. Make your own spice mixes like seasoned salt.
• Salt: Toss some in water before boiling pasta or cooking rice. 

In the Refrigerator: 

• Hot Sauce: Delicious on eggs or in soup. 
• Low sodium soy sauce: For stir fry or to add flavor to brown rice.
• Vinegar: For homemade salad dressing. 
• Minced garlic: For everything!
• Parmesean cheese: Excellent on eggs, pasta and whole grain cheese bread.
• Eggs: I eat two a day, usually scrambled with veggies.
• String Cheese: This is an awesome source of lean protein. I eat 2 at a time to get 16 grams of protein. 
• Greek Yogurt: My children whine that this is the "secret" ingredient in everything I cook. I agree. I use plain Greek yogurt and flavor it to suit my needs. Use stevia to make it sweet, or seasoned salt and herbs to turn it into dip. 
• Natural Peanut Butter: Peanut butter shouldn't have added hydrogenated fats or chemicals. Look for one with peanuts and salt. It must be kept in the refrigerator so it won't spoil. 

In the Fruit  and veg Drawer: 

• Apples keep well, and I always have lemons for squeezing on fish or turning into salad dressing.

Someone decorated the lemons in my fruit bowl.

• Pre-packed, pre-washed spring mix or romaine lettuce is convenient for quick salads.
• Portobello mushrooms make an easy base for a veggie pizza. 
• Avocado makes an excellent salad dressing base or sandwich spread. 

Snacks: 

• Keep nuts available, but limit the portion size on these good fats.
• Beef jerky: I found a lean, all natural product here in Nebraska with no preservatives. It's called Beef Bark. Find it at www.beefbark.com. It travels well and comes in dozens of flavors. 
• Whole grain crackers: Find a cracker with 5 ingredients or less and eat the proper serving size. 

Planning for The Feast

When it's cold outside, I want to bake to stay warm. When I bake, I want to eat. Mostly, I just want to smell cinnamon in my kitchen or wrap my hands around a mug of spiced chai tea. So how do we enjoy the season, without being a spoiler?

I think it's about keeping it all in perspective. One warm fresh baked pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie is delicious. The entire pan will leave me feeling crummy.  I think the key to nutrition and fitness success is to indulge--with limits. We run into trouble when every night, is dessert night. I remember a time several years ago when the meal wasn't finished until I had dessert--after lunch AND dinner. After age 40, those 100 calorie cookies catch up with you.

So faced with a buffet of holiday treats,  decide what you want most and throughly enjoy some of it. Then, make healthy decisions the rest of the week. If you know Aunt Rosemary's blueberry tarts with whipped cream are on the menu, and you wait all year for them-- eat clean the rest of the day--getting in those vegetables and lean protein.

At my gym we call this a "Free Day," a time to enjoy the proper portion size of the foods you love.

It's also important to contribute something to the feast that you know will sustain you and not leave you in a food coma. When people tell me they failed in the nutrition department because they ate what was served--I always ask, "What did you contribute to the meal?"

Take along a new veggie dish, a Greek-yogurt based dip, or a really beautiful side dish you'd be proud to share.

Here's a recipe for a colorful, hearty salad made with pomegranate and an ancient Italian grain called farro. You can find it at Trader Joe's or in the health food section of most grocery stores. Wheat berries are a good substitute. This serves up nicely as a side to turkey. In fact, I just made this with a pork tenderloin which I stuffed with apples, poblano peppers and sweet potatoes.

Slice the pomegranate into quarters and gently nudge out the berries. If you do this in a bowl of water in the sink, it makes clean up easy. The white pulp will rise to the top of the water.

Pomegranate Farro Salad

3 cups water
1 ½ cups farro or wheat berries
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs pomegranate molasses
¼ cup olive oil
5 cups arugula (optional)
4 cups romaine
3 stalks celery, chopped
2/3 cup sliced green onions
½ cup pomegranate seeds (peel and clean the fruit)
½ cup roasted unsalted almonds, chopped

Bring water to boil. Add farro, return to boil. Simmer 25 min. Peel pomegranate.
Whisk vinegar, molasses, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper in bowl. Drizzle in ¼ cup olive oil, whisk well. Add remaining ingredients, including cooled, drained wheat. Serving ¾ cup. 175 cal, 27 carbs.

Feeds 8, easily.
 Pomegranate molasses adds a tart element to the bold taste of balsmic vinegar and really completes this dish. Lighten it up by adding greens to the grains. If you're taking this to a party, add the greens when you get there, and toss throughly.

Get Moving
After that holiday meal, or before,  plan an activity which involves moving. My husband's Uncle Ed used to make everyone put on thier winter coats and go for a post-dinner stroll after dinner. It was a Thanksgiving tradition.  Get your regular exercise on holidays. It's good for stress relief. Most fitness centers offer holiday hours and it's a good break from the kitchen to break a sweat.

Don't Blow Calories on Booze
Alcohol calories quickly add up. And when we drink, we feel more free to eat everything in sight. Suddenly, it's ok to binge on the entire bowl of giant cashews. Know your limits and stick to it. Chase a beer or glass of wine with a glass of water. Alcohol also inhibits fat burning. So if you're serious about maintaining weight or losing body fat, booze is your worst enemy. It actually negates the effectiveness of your workouts.

Be Thankful
We are all thankful for something. If I focus on my "haves" I think I'll be healthier, happier and more able to manuever the "have nots." Plus, no one wants to be around a negative Nellie.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Is it Hunger? Or something else? Emotional Eating 101

No one wants to talk about it. It's about that bag of kettle chips that disappeared without a crumb or a trace, or the box of Girl Scout cookies that's missing an entire sleeve. When I see a super-clean food log from a person who hasn't lost a pound in a month, I know what's going in. It's not rocket science.

It's emotional eating, emotionless drinking or even just mindless eating. Do you eat, or drink-- when you're bored, lonely, stressed or sad?

Stop, think and ask yourself: "Do I want this? Am I hungry?" What's the real reason you head for the chocolate drawer or the bottle of wine?

Workplaces everywhere are loaded with baked goods, candy jars and leftover party food that your co-workers want to get rid of--just bring it to work! And before we know it, because it's there, we'll consume an extra 1,000 calories a day to just be polite, social, or busy. It seems like every social gathering, meeting or coffee has an endless supply of food involved.  Some day, keep track of the nibbles, bites, tastes and snacks you have outside your daily meals. You may be amazed at the calories you can down.

And if you're trying to lose excess pounds you need to think of food in a new way:

We eat to fuel. Food is fuel. It's not a way to stuff emotions. We don't have to "treat" ourselves or reward ourselves or our children with food. We're not dogs or circus animals.

If you're trying to clean up your diet, and cut out emotional eating, you have to find something to do with those emotions you're feeling. I get that. This is not easy work.

It might help to keep a little journal and write down your true feelings and frustrations. Don't turn to food or booze as a bandage. It may make you feel better initially, but then you just beat yourself up later for going down that path. If you have a significant amount of weight to lose, it can be extremely helpful to seek the help of a licensed counselor or therapist to get to the root of your food addiction.

Willpower is like a muscle. The more you exercise it, the stronger it gets. 

Every time you pass up that plate of pastries on the secretary's desk at work, you get a little bit stronger. You know there's a healthier option waiting in your lunch bag. Keep practicing that will power, and it will soon become automatic.

Here are some ways to work through those cravings or times you want to "eat" through your emotions:

1. call a friend

2. clean a drawer

3. organize your beauty products

4. sweep your floor

5. write an e-mail or letter to someone

6. do 20 push ups

7. do 20 sit ups

8. walk your dog

9. read a book

10. find a new recipe

11. prep your food for tomorrow.

12. have a cup of herbal tea

13. help a neighbor

14. chew some sugarless gum

15. text a friend, a coach or a fitness buddy

Changing our habits takes time and work. Know that you have the ability to change. You're hardwired for it. You just have to tap into it and practice it. 

Can you enjoy junk food and the calorie-laden foods you crave? Absolutely. There's room for a proper portion size of anything, once in a while. It's what keeps us balanced and happy. It's called your "free day"--to enjoy the foods you don't eat all the time. And then, it's back to the business of being a conscious eater.  

Food is fuel. Fuel on!!