Monday, November 23, 2020
Monday Must Haves - 5 Beautycounter Products I'm LOVING right now + ON SALE NOW
Sunday, November 22, 2020
Cilantro Lime Black Bean Rice & Chicken Bowl
I used to be the girl that kept everything separate on her plate and ate one thing at a time...ok, I still do that sometimes, but now I am more likely to throw a bunch of different foods in a bowl.
A few nights ago, I was on my own for dinner because mrC was on a trip. I had spent most of the day getting work done and dropped the ball on meal planning for myself. Fortunately I had all the ingredients (well, most of them) for this yummy recipe from the FASTer Way meal guide.
*Every week, FASTer Way clients receive a meal guide as a resource. Clients are not required to follow it, but it definitely makes planning and coming up with ideas for meals A LOT easier. You can learn more here.
Most of the time, I like to use the meal guide as inspiration. I'll add some ingredients, substitute for others or just leave out what I don't like. That's how I put together this recipe for Cilantro Lime Black Bean Rice & Chicken Bowl.
My version:
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup read leaf lettuce
1/4 cup basmati brown rice
1/4 cup black beans seasoned with 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/4 cup frozen onion, 1 tsp dried cilantro, 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup organic salsa
1 tbsp flaxseed and 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (because I seed cycle)
4 oz grilled chicken diced
This recipe came together so easily because I had grilled a big batch of chicken earlier in the week and use pre-packaged rice (this is my favorite) and organic salsa from Whole Foods. I'm all about keeping things simple!
This is a great macro meal for days when you need all the macros! Plus it is packed with fiber to keep the gut a happy place. I encourage my clients to do meal bowls because they're more likely to have balance.
Do you like meals in bowls? What is your favorite combo?
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Hiking: Pu'u Ma'eli'eli Trail (Digging Hill)
Our first attempt at doing this hike was postponed when mrC got an unexpected work trip. We did it a few days later under not so perfect conditions, but you can't wait for conditions to be perfect!
So, once again we headed to the trail even though the skies were cloudy and rain was in the forecast (same thing happened when we hiked Aiea Loop Trail). We parked at the Ko'olau Shopping Center and then followed the guardrail on Kahekili Highway to get to the trailhead. It was super easy to find.
After two climbs to get our legs warmed up right off the bat, I looked behind us at the Ko'olau Mountains topped with clouds. We see them in the distance every day, but I will never get tired of taking in their beauty.
Saturday, November 7, 2020
Blueberry Protein Bars
I've been making these protein bars for years, but the way I make them has evolved enough that it was time to write an updated blog post.
It is also worth noting that these bars are perfect snack material for Feast Days. If you are not following the FASTer Way yet, Feast Days are when we strategically increase our food intake by 25%. For a lot of people on health journeys (trying to lose weight), this sounds like a crazy and even scary idea. However, eating MORE helps with metabolic adaptation and prevents plateaus.
- That means the thyroid will be active and functioning which raises the metabolic rate increasing the fat burning process.
- It helps prevent muscle breakdown which also keeps our metabolism revved up.
- When we eat a little more than our body is expecting, our cortisol levels and hormones are in check and happily letting the body burn fat for fuel.
The recipe:
2 cups quick cooking gluten free oats
1 cup protein powder (I use vanilla)
1/4 cup organic buckwheat flour
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1T chia seeds
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 cup sunbutter
1/4 cup honey
6-8 oz blueberries (mash half)
I combine all the dry ingredients separately from the wet ingredients. Then I gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry. Sometimes I need to add a little water to help the mixing along. I toss the whole blueberries in last.
Spread mixture into a sprayed baking dish. Bake 350 degrees 15 min. Let cool. Cut and refrigerate.
If you make them, tag me in your post @amycainefitness and let me know what you think!
Thursday, October 29, 2020
Baby bella Taco Salad
Apparently fall is the best season for mushrooms.
I honestly don't eat mushrooms unless they are mixed in with something else -> gravy, salad, sandwich.
They came to be on my radar when I started the final stage of my healthy gut journey. My functional medicine practitioner has me doing a Liver and Gallbladder detox to flush out any toxins that may have been present as a result of my bacteria imbalance. So, for five days (and I'm on day 3 as I write this) I will start my day with a very terrible detox beverage, take some supplements and only eat fruit and veggies (non-root).
Back to the mushrooms :) I read somewhere that mushrooms can be used as a meat substitute, so I got a crazy idea to use them to make a taco salad. I bought an 8oz package of baby bellas at Whole Foods and used my mini chopper (like this one on Amazon) to mince them up. Once they were minced, I used them just like I would minced meat.
Baby Bella Taco Salad:
8oz minced baby bella mushrooms
Taco Seasoning:
4 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp dried minced onion
1/2 tsp beef bouillon powder
Directions:
I sautéed the mushrooms in taco seasoning and approximately 1/4 cup water for about 10 minutes. I suggest adding water in small amounts so that your minced mushrooms aren't soggy (learned the hard way).
Build your bowl - I use about 3+ cups lettuce (romaine and leafy green) and top with baby corn, Black beans (usually), salsa and avocado.
This is a great plant-based option for vegetarians who like taco salads! I'm not vegetarian, but I did a plant-based month with the FASTer Way VIP community and have kept some favorite recipes in my rotation.