Garlic Veggie Farro and Grilled Chicken

Farro is wonderful! And this recipe really highlights is texture and heartiness. It is like a filling and nutritious blank canvas willing to take on any flavors you throw its way. Would even be great with fruit I am sure!

Cook Farro as per their instructions. I skip the "rinse" part because I do prefer a nuttier flavor.

Spray a large skillet with olive oil spray and get it nice and hot over med-high heat.

Add:

chopped asparagus
sliced zucchini
sliced red onion
broccoli florets
raw mushrooms
4 cloves minced garlic

Once the veggies are cooked but still crisp, add them to the cooked Farro with 1 tbs of olive oil lunch is served.

I served it with 4oz of grilled chicken breasts.

Today's lunch: Crockpot PB2 Thai Chicken

2 lbs. Skinless, boneless, chicken breast
3/4 cup Salsa (look for low sodium/all natural)
1/4 cup PB2
1 tsp. ginger (I used dried)
2 Tbs. lite soy sauce
2 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup of crushed red pepper (optional, I like heat!)

Pretty much just throw it in the crock pot and let it cook for 4 hours on medium heat. 6 hours if the chicken boobs are frozen.


I served it with 1/2 cup of whole wheat pasta and steamed brocolli for lunch. I also sprinkled diced raw onion and jalepeno on top for extra kick. I keep that mixture on hand for just about everything...thanks Mom and Ron for getting me hooked on pepper relish!

It was a very tasty lunch, indeed.

Farro

I found this stuff at Costco yesterday. Turns out, it is a pretty awesome grain. Recipes to follow.


Farro
From Wikipedia:
Farro is a food product consisting of the grains of certain wheat species in whole form. The exact definition is debated (see below). It is sold dried and is prepared by cooking in water until soft, but still crunchy (many recommend first soaking over night). It may be eaten plain, though it is often used as an ingredient in dishes such as salads and soups. It is sometimes ground into flour and used to make pasta or bread.

[edit] Definition
There is much confusion or disagreement about what exactly farro is. Emmer, spelt, and einkorn are called farro in Italy, sometimes, but not always, distinguished as farro medio, farro grande, and farro piccolo, respectively[1]. Regional differences in what is grown locally and eaten as farro, as well as similarities between the three grains, may explain the confusion. Barley and farro may be used interchangeably because of their similar characteristics. Spelt is much more commonly grown in Germany and Switzerland and, though called dinkel there, is eaten and used in much the same way, and might therefore be considered farro. Common wheat may also be prepared and eaten much like farro, in which form it is often referred to as wheatberries.

[edit] Piccolo, medio, and grande
Sometimes the three are distinguished by the terms farro piccolo, farro medio, and farro grande, which according to some sources are specifically einkorn, emmer, and spelt, respectively[2]. While these names reflect the general size difference between these three grains, there are landraces of each that are smaller or larger than the typical size and cross into the size range of the others. Emmer is by far the most common variety grown in Italy.

Healthy Protein Banana Bread

Each week a popular grocery delivery service that many of the residents in my building use drops off a banana bread to the office. The banana bread, loaded with fat and sugar, is eaten by my office staff as I "tsk, tsk" them, all the while battling my inner fat-girl that really, really, REALLY wants a piece.

Will power has prevailed but I have been feeling my weakness increase each week. With today being Monday, knowing that a fresh, soft, banana bread loaf is on the truck ready to be delivered to the KP office, I knew I had to do something.

Lo and behold; Healthy Banana Bread.

Take that inner fat-girl! Win for skinny Lex.
Ignore the disgusting looking loaf pan.

**********
Preheat oven to 325.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup of applesauce
1/2 cup of organic honey
1 egg
3 egg whites
1 tbs of olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mashed bananas
1 and 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup of hot water
1/2 cup of walnuts (optional)
1 scoop of 20g vanilla protein powder (optional-will make a more dense bread)
3 heaping tbs of psyllium husk (optional)


Directions:

In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together. Add eggs, egg whites, vanilla, and olive oil and mix well. Stir in mashed bananas (I put them in my blender to mash and the consistence was perfect) and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt, protein powder, and psyllium husk. Add the baking soda to hot water and stir to mix. Add to batter. Blend in chopped nuts.

Pour batter into a well greased (I used olive oil spray) 9x5 loaf pan.

Bake in 325 oven for about 50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 1/2 hour before slicing (I did not follow this step as I wanted a piece RIGHT AWAY, which did not harm my bread).

Jamie Eason's Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

Last night, I made Jamie Eason's Turkey Meatloaf Muffins from one of her cooking videos on Bodybuilding.com.

The ingredients:

2 lbs ground turkey (I went with 93% lean)
3 egg whites
1 cup quick oats
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp chipotle pepper spice
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 onion chopped
1 celery stalk chopped (I did not use this, had no celery on hand)

The directions:

Mix all of the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the egg whites, turkey meat and onion.

Without over working the meat, mix all of the ingredients together.

Roll into balls the size of racquetballs. Place them into a greased muffin pan.

Yields 12.


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I really liked these. I was unsure how to serve them so I treated them more like meatballs vs. meatloaf. I served along side spaghetti squash with minced garlic, black pepper and fresh Parmesan, 2 oz of fresh mozzarella cheese with black pepper, and I topped each muffin with a dollop of spaghetti sauce (all natural, less than 5 grams of sugar per serving!)

I really enjoyed this meal. The nice thing about these turkey muffins is that they are easy to grab and go and eat on the run. Each muffin contains 80 calories, 2 grams of fat, 4 grams of carbs, and 11 grams of protein. I enjoyed 2 and 1/2 of them with my dinner. My daughter, Elliana, really liked the "turkey cupcakes" too.

Chocolate Peanut Butter

Ask any of my family members what ice cream or treat is my favorite and each of them will tell you anything that involves Chocolate and Peanut Butter. It is a combo created in Heaven yet so sinfully delicious.

Peanut Butter/Chocolate ice cream, Dark Chocolate squares schmered with PB, Peanut Butter cups, Peanut Butter filled pretzels dipped in Chocolate.....I could go on and on.

I recently learned about this stuff and I urge all of you PB lovers out there to give it a shot. Cravings are satisfied and for FAR less calories and fat than the regular stuff. PB2 and PB2 Chocolate comes in a powdered form which helps when you are making shakes, oatmeal, or plain yogurt. You can add water to it and whip it into fluffy deliciousness.

Their website has a ton of recipes that I plan to start trying...just not sure which one to try first!

http://www.bellplantation.com/

Greek Quinoa Salad

I am still on a cloud from all of the positive comments I received yesterday after deciding to "man up" and share my embarrassing photos with all of you.

Today, I am going to talk more about Quinoa. I hope none of you are getting sick of my quinoa recipes. It is such a versatile food that the possibilities are endless and I think I found one that I will be making regularly, in quantity.

Greek Quinoa Salad

Makes between 8 and 10 generous servings

2 cups of dry Quinoa, cooked
2 tbs of olive oil
1/2 lb of Feta
1/2 lb of Kalamata olives, pitted (in about 2 tbs of brine)
4 cups of spinach
1 small red onion
1 large cucumber
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 large heirloom tomato
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
*****
After quinoa is finished cooking, add the olive oil and stir until it is all coated lightly. Put in the fridge, allow to cool.

Throw your spinach, red onion, cucumber, olives (without the brine) and feta into a food processor and pulse it until you have a chunky salsa like mixture. Careful not to process too much! You want it to be very chunky.

Slice the tomato and drain excess water.

Throw this mixture into your salad along with the reserved brine and vinegar.

Eat. Enjoy.

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Training and Workouts and Therapy, Oh my!

My outlook calendar, between the hours of 8am-4pm is generally booked with meetings and lunches with a few hours in between to get work done and to update my blog and Facebook status. The hours before 8am-4pm were generally open and I would just be sure to get in at least a good hour of physical activity each day.

Now that I am training for a race in October, there are certain workouts that I HAVE to complete each day in order to build myself up to the mileage needed to finish the race. So, I am sure to schedule that time in each day. I have also added at least one visit with a personal trainer to my regime each week. Okay, so there is 30-60 minutes booked. Oh, and I have to take that spinning class on Wednesdays between 5:30-6:30. Don't forget that I am now working with a Physical Therapist at the Sport Rehab place on Tuesdays at 7:30. Oh, and I would be crazy to NOT get in at least 30 minutes of fasted cardio 3 or 4 times a week at 5am, what a great start to the day those workouts are. My doctor also thinks that Bikram Yoga will help me with my flexibility issues so put me down for an hour of that on Saturdays. And who can forget that on most Sundays, I will be doing Chalene Turbo Fire with Mari for an hour....AFTER my training run. Sundays are my long runs. Add in a few Races (5K and 10Ks) that I have registered for and I think I MAY have time to shower a few days a week.

Okay, it's not that bad but if it wasn't for my Blackberry, I'd be lost!

Lexy.

Chicken and Guac Tostadas

I am stealing this recipe from someone I follow on FB. Become a fan of "Recipes for Gals in Figure and Bodybuilding". She posts some awesome stuff! She actually took this one from Cooking Light Magazine. I don't subscribe only because their recipes aren't always "clean", but this one looks wonderfully balanced and squeaky clean. I will likely make mine with stone ground corn tortillas vs. the tostada shells. I'll be making this myself this week.





Makes 4 servings (2 tostadas each)

Ingredients:

1 ripe peeled avocado
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped tomato, divided
3 tablespoons minced fresh onion, divided
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided or Mrs. Dash for us "clean" folks.
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeno pepper
2 cups shredded skinless, boneless, skinless rotisserie chicken breast
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
8 (6-inch) corn tostada shells (or stone ground corn tortillas)

Directions:

1. Place avocado in a small bowl; mash with a fork. Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato, 1 tablespoon onion, 1 tablespoon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and garlic.

2. Combine remaining 1 cup tomato, 2 tablespoons onion, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cilantro, and jalapeño; toss well.

3. Combine chicken, remaining 1 tablespoon juice, and paprika; toss well to combine. Spread about 1 tablespoon guacamole over each tostada shell; top each with 1/4 cup chicken mixture and about 2 tablespoons salsa.

Nutrition:

Calories:345
Fat:15.4g
Protein:25.4g
Carbohydrate:26.9g
Fiber:5.4g
Cholesterol:60mg
Iron:1.9mg
Sodium:548mg
Calcium:24mg

Performance Eating

Just a quick thought before I share a few recipes.

Sometimes, while eating for performance, other body parts, ahem, perform better as well.

This stuff helps.

New Goals

Hello Followers and people that randomly come across my blog!

Have I told you that I love all of you! Knowing that there are people reading about this thing really helps to keep me accountable day-to-day. I feel like I need to set an example for people which keeps me from cutting myself a piece of that almond coffee cake in the office kitchen.

Soooo, my last post, I mentioned that I was going to put my befores and progress prictures on display for all of the world to see. I lied. I think I want to give myself a few more months before I do that. I am just not ready!

I have some new goals that I am reaching for in the coming months ahead. I joined a new gym last week and signed up for a year of personal training, which starts tonight.

I had to choose three goals that I would like to work towards with my personal trainer. Here they are!

1. Do 5 unassisted pull-ups.
2. Lose 10-15 pounds.
3. Increase my flexibility

I am hoping, after three months of working out with a trainer and continuing on with my half-marathon training schedule, I will reach one or more of these goals.

At such time, I do promise to post my photos.

Lex.