The Challenge Is On…

Okay, here we go!  This is the first week of our “Lifestyle Fitness Challenge” with our Neighborhood CrossFit family and we couldn’t be more excited!  There’s no doubt this is going to be hard…I may not be able to get a shower every day, but I sure as heck will go the mile to cook healthy meals for our family! 

This fabulous folder holds all the info we need for the challenge….and they mean business!

“This challenge will be scored in four categories with a weight or percentage value given to each of the following areas.  Health Base Line (weight, LBM, resting heart rate, blood pressure) = 30%; Fitness (Bench Mark WOD’s) = 30%; Nutritional/Fitness Plan (logs – weekly WOD’s) = 30%; Understanding (written test on materials in packet) = 10%.”

This first week is to be considered our prep week where we will decide on the nutritional, spiritual and physical plans/regimen we want to take on during this 30 day period.  The hubs and I had already decided on challenging ourselves to a 30 day Paleo diet and since I had already prepared this week’s menu accordingly, Monday became our start date!  Spiritually, the hubs and I are going through the “Love Dare” together to not only strengthen ourselves as loving spouses to one another, but to prayerfully strengthen our bond as husband and wife.  And there will no doubt be tons of prayer, not only for ourselves, but for the others who are taking on this challenge as well!  Physically, we have committed ourselves to a minimum of 3 WODS a week at the CrossFit gym and will continue to keep Sunday as our rest day.  The hubs will continue his hard lifting at the gym and I plan to keep up my running on the off days. The “homework” part of the challenge includes keeping a log of our meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) and WOD’s, as well as reading the material provided for us in the packet.  I am looking forward to reading through the articles on the Paleo lifestyle and gaining more knowledge about CrossFit.

Lot’s of good food resources that are a huge help when planning meals and going shopping! And speaking of food, here’s a little taste of one of our first meals!  I decided to start with something I know we all enjoy and that is a “breakfast dinner.”  However, it was time to step it up a notch and make it a bit more hearty and healthy.Cinnamon Bread by Paleo ParentsLoved the flavor and the hardiness of this bread, however I think I baked it a bit long on my first go around.  I like a soft/moist bread through and through, and this one got a bit crunchy on the outside.  A little less time in the oven would surely do the trick!

And the main dish… Butternut Squash and Sausage Breakfast Hash

Ingredients:

1lb breakfast sausage or sweet sausage (I used Trader Joe’s Chicken Apple Sausage)

1 Tbsp olive oil + extra for roasting the butternut squash

1 butternut squash, chopped and roasted

1 organic yellow squash, chopped

5 large organic eggs, beaten (I added a couple tablespoons of almond milk to the eggs)

Sea salt and fresh cracked paper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly coat with cooking spray.  Peel and chop the butternut squash in half lengthwise.  Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds and guts of each half.  Chop each half into1-inch bite size pieces and place in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet.  Drizzle olive over the pieces and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  Place in oven and bake 35-40 minutes or until squash is tender and begins to brown.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil.  Add sausage and cook until browned and no longer pink. 

Add  yellow squash to the skillet and saute until veggies are tender.  Add the roasted butternut squash.

Pour in the eggs and cook until eggs are nice and fluffy!  Serve immediately.A very simple, but filling and delicious meal!  Though we had some green veggies on the side, I think next time I may add a little spinach to the hash as well.  And as an added bonus, there were leftovers (minus the eggs) for lunch the next day!  The hubs enjoyed the veggies and sausage straight up warmed, while I had mine straight from the fridge atop a nice green salad.

As we come to the end of this week, I think I have discovered that the cooking part of eating a Paleo diet isn’t going to be terribly hard, it’s the planning and prep that has to happen beforehand that is going to be the challenge for me.  I’m pretty used to planning our dinner meals, but with having to log our meals for this challenge I’m going to be planning breakfast and lunch meals as well. 

So, whether we win this challenge or not… “whatever progress we make toward honoring God with our bodies will bring direct benefit into our lives.  Our self-esteem will increase, along with our physical and mental energy, and our relationship with God will be enhanced.  It’s a win-win deal.”  - Bill Hybels

Have a blessed weekend!

Blessings,

J’lene

More “Grain Free” Goodies!

Eight more days until vacation….not that I’m counting or anything!  Two more days until I get a haircut….not that I want to have a “new do” to sport at the happiest place on earth or anything!  Toiletries are all bagged in “airline regulation” bags….not that I’m starting to pack or anything! 

But, we have eight more days and I have to get my princesses successfully through this week of school so we can actually enjoy our vacation!  They are workin’ like champs and believe it or not they’ve asked to take reading books with them to keep up on their weekly reading assignments….thank you Lord for eager readers!  All this hard work deserves a little something sweet….

Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

(inspired by Detoxinista)

Yields 1 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup blanched almond flour

1/2 cup almond meal

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp coconut oil, softened

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 organic egg

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking soda and salt.  Mix well. 

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, vanilla, maple syrup and egg until well combined.

Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix just until combined.  Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Using a tablespoon, drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden around the edges.

Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  Enjoy!

  It’s a toss up, I just might have to say these may be my new “favorite” chocolate chip cookies!  I love the slightly nutty flavor of the almond flour and the texture of these cookies won me over too! 

  These will surely please any of your pickiest eaters…they taste anything but healthy!!

Zucchini Almond Mini Bundt Cakes

(inspired by Against All Grain)

Yields 5 mini cakes (or 2 small bread loaves)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1 Tbsp coconut flour

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 organic eggs, beaten

1/4 cup raw honey

2 ripe bananas

1 cup shredded zucchini

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 5 mini bundt cake pans (or 2 small loaf pans) with cooking spray and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, place all the wet ingredients and beat on medium for 1-2 minutes until fully combined.  Add the shredded zucchini and beat again just enough to incorporate.

Slowly add the dry ingredients with the mixer running, until all the dry ingredients are fully combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pans.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the middle is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

These little gems make for a filling breakfast, snack or after dinner treat!  Top it with your favorite nut or seed butter and call it dessert!

A dense little cake with a slightly nutty flavor from the almond flour and a little hint of sweet from the honey….PERFECTION!!

Now wouldn’t it just be “perfect” if I could get a good night’s sleep and not worry about how I can fit all my shoes in the suitcase!!  Night all!

 

Blessings,

J’lene

hold the peanut butter please!

 (source)

Before I discovered a year and a half ago that my princess Cailyn had a peanut allergy, it never really crossed my mind to use such things as almond butter or sunflower seed butter in my baking.  Now they have become quite a staple in our home and peanut butter is all but obsolete! 

We don’t go out to eat very often, but when we do I think I’ve become the “annoying” mom who asks the server at a restaurant a million and one questions before we order…

• what kinds of oils to you cook with?
• what is that sauce made out of?
• what types of flours do you use?

(this article is a good resource as to what foods to avoid if you have a peanut allergy.)

And then I make the all the “special requests”…please leave this off, can you sub this for that, and the list goes on!  Between the peanut allergy and the gluten intolerance, maybe this is why God has blessed me with my love for cooking and baking at home!!

The hubs may say that I’m addicted to baking, but some days I’d have to say I’m addicted to searching for good recipes on other amazing “foodie blogs!”  In my quest for using more almond butter this week, I first checked out Katie over at Chocolate Covered Katie.  I enjoy her recipes because not only do they involve lots of chocolate, but they are either naturally gluten free or easily adaptable to be made gluten free.  While chocolate and peanut butter seem to be a favorite combination among most people, I’ve come to discover that chocolate and almond butter can have the same effect!!  Which is the case here…

Good enough for breakfast, lunch or dinner in my book!

 Almond Butter Quick Bread (gluten free and vegan)

(inspired by Chocolate Covered Katie)

Yields 1 loaf

Ingredients:

2 cups Pamela’s Baking Mix 

1/2 cup creamy, unsalted almond butter

1/2 cup raw coconut crystals

2 Tbsp organic brown sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 heaping tsp cinnamon

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/4 cup allergy free chocolate chips – optional (I used Enjoy Life mini chips)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.  Add wet ingredients, in order, to the dry and mix well.  Fold in chocolate chips, if using.

Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake 40-45 minutes.  Let cool 15-20 minutes before slicing.  Enjoy!

If you don’t have a big sweet tooth, this bread is perfect for you! It is definitely not overly sweet and the nutty flavor of the almond butter shines through in every bite.  Maybe next time I’ll leave out the chocolate chips and try a piece toasted with a little jam…Almond Butter and Jam Toast!!  

Here are some other baked good favorites using Almond Butter and Sunflower Butter…most of which involve chocolate as well!!

Flourless Chocolate Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Almond Butter Pumpkin Bars

Sun Butter Banana Protein Bars

Fudge Swirl Sunflower Butter Cupcakes

Quinoa-Sunflower Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy Friday!  And Happy Baking…with or without the nuts!!

Blessings,

J’lene

Listening and looking…

Waking up this morning, my head was telling me to get up and run!  But my body, particularly my foot, was telling me otherwise.  I listened to my head and started out on a fairly good run.  The further I ran, the slower I got until I had no choice but to listen to my screaming foot telling me to STOP!  Unfortunately I didn’t complete this morning’s run and had to power walk it the last quarter of the way home.  I was slightly, okay more than slightly, bummed with my performance….

(source)

Though I didn’t stop, slowing down did allow me to take in some of God’s Creation that I would have otherwise quickly passed by and not given a second glance!

It was a beautiful morning…the sun was just beginning to peek out above the mountains.

 All was still and quiet in the neighborhood…”Be still and know that I am God.”

Psalm 46:10

 The morning dew droplets hanging on to fresh green grass…

 Sweet smelling blossoms from our neighbor’s lemon tree…love the fresh smells of Spring!

All in all, it was definitely worth slowing down and taking the time to listen to my hurting body (my foot feels much better this afternoon) and look at God’s beauty that surrounds me!

Now I’m listening to the timer go off on the oven and looking forward to tonight’s dinner!  It’s going to be a chilly night at the ball field, so it was fitting that I try my new recipe for  “Crockpot Chili.”  I soaked my beans last night, rinsed and drained them this morning and into the crock pot they went.

My soaked black beans….

And kidney beans…

I decided to make some of Sarah Matheney’s  “Cowgirl Cornbread” from her cookbook Peas and Thank You: Simple Meatless Meals the Whole Family Will Love.  I followed the recipe almost to a “T”….I swapped out the whole wheat flour for gluten free all-purpose(used Bob’s Red Mill) and made sure that my cornmeal was gluten free as well.

I realized that I had started cutting into the cornbread before taking a picture, so that’s why it looks so crumbly!  Oops!  Served up warm with some butter and honey…OH-SO-DELISH! And a nice hot bowl of chili!  I was so pleased with the outcome of this meal and so was the rest of the fam!

Crock Pot Vegan Chili

Yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped

1 red pepper, seeded and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp smoked paprika

1 1/2 Tbsp cumin

1 tsp basil

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp vegan Worchester sauce

1/2 can organic tomato paste (6 oz. can)

2 cans organic fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 cup organic frozen corn

7 cups kidney/black beans soaked overnight, then rinsed and drained (4-5 cups of dry beans for soaking as they will expand!)

3 cups of water

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet.  Add onion, red pepper and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the mixture to the crock pot.

Turn the crock pot on to high heat.  Add beans and corn to onion mixture and stir together.  Add the water, spices, tomatoes and tomato paste.  Blend well together and cover.

Cook on high for 6-7 hours, checking the taste after 2 hours. 

 In the last hour or so of cooking, the beans thickened up real nice and made for a perfect hearty meal.  And the added bonus is that we have lots of leftovers!

Nourishing Thought for Today:

“Soak up the world with your eyes!”

 (source)

Blessings,

J’lene

Spring is in the air!

Signs of Spring in the neighborhood…and in our own backyard!  The princesses spotted this tiny little bird’s nest in our crape myrtle bush (can’t wait to see it bloom this year!).

And I spotted some wild turkeys on my morning run!  Wish I had my camera on me!

 

While my princess Makenna and the hubs went off to softball practice, my little Cailyn and I spent some time in the sunshine.  It was a blast to sit back and watch her creative mind at work…

 My delicious lemonade!

A bean tostada alongside a kale and broccoli salad (she knows what her mama likes)!

 It sure was a tasty treat!

 I can’t wait to start frequenting our local farmer’s market for Spring fruits and veggies!  Speaking of fruit, the princesses and I just received a bag full of fresh oranges from my grandfather’s tree and they smell oh-so-delicious. 

 I love the sweet smell of orange blossoms just blooming on the trees and I loved the sweet aroma of this cake baking in the oven!

Fresh Orange Breakfast Cake (gluten free)

Yields 10-12 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups Four Flour Bean Mix

1/2 tsp xanthum gum

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup organic cane sugar

2 Tbsp grated orange zest

2 Tbsp grated lemon zest

6 Tbsp organic honey

3 organic eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup grapeseed oil

1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt (I used Chobani)

2 oranges, cut in sections and drained of juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.  Sprinkle sides and bottom of pan with flour, shaking and tapping to coat pan evenly.  Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthum gum, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves and cinnamon. 

In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine sugar with orange and lemon zest.  Rub zest and sugar together with your fingers to release the oils of the zest.  Stir in honey, eggs and vanilla.  Beat to combine well.  Slowly pour in grapeseed oil and stir to combine.  Stir in yogurt.  Stir in flour mixture in small batches, making sure not to over mix.  The batter will be thick.

Pour cake batter into prepared pan.  Smooth the batter our by tapping the pan on the counter.  Arrange the cut orange sections on top of the batter and press down until you can see just the top of the orange.  As the cake bakes, the oranges will sink slightly as the cake rises.  Bake until the cake is firm and spongy to the touch and lightly browned, about 35-45 minutes.  Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.  Wrapped tightly, the cake will keep for 2 to 3 days.

So moist and fresh…I enjoyed mine with breakfast and a cup of tea!  The hubs prefers his warm with a generous scoop of ice cream!  It’s delicious no matter how you slice it eat it!

Blessings,

J’lene

 

This post is also shared here at

Allergy Free Wednesdays!

 and here at

Recipe Lion!

Sunny Days…

Despite a few wind gusts, we’ve enjoyed some beautiful sunny days this past weekend!  The hubs begged asked if we could lighten the school load on Friday and get out of the house to enjoy some sunshine.  At the mention of trying out a new farmer’s market, I was sold and we only took a little bit of work on the road with us!  I packed us up some lunch and we headed out to the Rancho Bernardo farmer’s market located at the Rancho Bernardo Winery.  It ended up being a bit smaller than I had expected, but the produce was so fresh (of course I forgot the camera in the car) and the vendors were so pleasant to talk to.  After perusing and picking up some fruits and veggies we found a fun little area perfect for a picnic lunch.  It felt good to slow down on what is normally a busy day and just enjoy some good company! 

 A splendid day…

We shopped (and tried samples!) together….

 We ate together…

 We laughed together…

 And thankfully there was no crying involved!!

Inspired by the bright colors and smells of spring produce on the horizon, I came home and baked yet another loaf of bread!  The combination of cranberries and lemon sounded exceptional good on this sunny afternoon…not so sure the hubs liked me turning on the oven though!!

Cranberry-Lemon Yogurt Bread

Yields 1 loaf

Ingredients:

2 cups Four Flour Bean Mix

1 1/2 tsp xanthum gum

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp flax meal

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp lemon zest

3 Tbsp raw coconut crystals

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup raw sliced almonds

2 organic eggs + one egg white

3 Tbsp Earth Balance

1 Tbsp raw honey

1/2 tsp raw apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1/3 cup water (more or less)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare your loaf pan by lightly spraying with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs, Earth Balance, honey, and vinegar and whisk until blended.  Add the yogurt and half of the water.  Whisk again or beat slightly until smooth.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly, beating with a spoon until blended.  Add enough water as necessary to form a cake-like batter.  Fold in cranberries and almonds.  Spoon into the prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes.  Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling completely before slicing.

Saturday found us out at the softball fields bright and early for the princesses’ first game of the season.  My princess Makenna rocked the first two innings pitching for the first time!  She struck out 5 out of 6 players and later made an awesome play at second base!  What a way to get things started…GO ORANGE FOXES!

The wind up…

The hubs says this is “good separation and follow through!”

And the let go…STRIKE!

Next up was my princess Cailyn and she did fabulous!  If you need a good laugh for the day, go watch a t-ball game.  The little boys were so serious on the field and then there were the girls (including mine) who are in the outfield twirling in the grass,picking flowers, and waving to mom and dad!  Gotta love them!  She was her team’s #6 hitter, taking a few strong hits off the “T” and bringing her teammates home!  GO ORANGE CRUSH!

Fixin’ the hat ‘cause she means business!

Taking a little advice from the coach before she smacks him the ball off the tee!

Ready and waiting for the ball to roll right up into her glove!

I was thanking the Lord for more beautiful sunshine on Sunday!  Our day started with a fabulous morning at church, followed by an afternoon of grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s.  I had my two sidekicks with me…one to check things off the grocery list and one to push the cart.  The list was a little lengthy this week as the hubs and I will be heading out to Arizona next week for a church planting conference and I needed to pick up some extra snacks for our trip. 

Some trail mix….

 And thought I’d give this Pure bar a try.  It was pretty good, but nothing I’d rave about for the price.  I think I’ll stick to making my own protein bars for this trip!  The hubs has also requested that we take along some of “Our Favorite Granola” and the “Best Granola Bars.”

I know it’s Monday, but I’d like to pretend the weekend is still here!  We started our day at the park with a picnic lunch and friends!  Tomorrow we get back to our regularly scheduled program of reading books, writing, math, etc….

Blessings,

J’lene