Easy Peasy Week!

We hosted a Mexican fiesta last night, and while it was fun and awesome...

 

 

...it resulted in a Sunday morning full of clean up and a Laura who is not so thrilled about messing up her pretty kitchen again today J 

 

So, this week is for those who sometimes feel the same!  I am also planning on going out to dinner at some point this week, and soups are great for freezing and reheating when you make too much!

Recipes

Protein Pancakes    

Rotisserie Chicken Salad and Rotisserie Chicken Soup

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup (I omitted the milk all together and used chicken stock in place, and took out the bouillon cubes…however, you could make this vegan by following the instructions or using veggie broth in place of milk!)

 

Meal Plan

Breakfasts

Greek yogurt with flax and banana (2 days)
Protein pancakes (3 days)

Lunches

Paleo bread sandwich with boars blackened turkey, mustard, lettuce, tomato, and onion, crudités and apple (3 days)

Rotisserie chicken salad on bed of spinach with dried cranberries, walnuts, red onion and cucumber (2 days)

Dinners

Rotisserie chicken soup (2 days)

Breakfast for dinner (1 day): 3 egg omelette made with goat cheese, red peppers, spinach, and red onion with a side of greens (also with goat cheese, red peppers, and red onion on top!)

Butternut squash and apple soup (2 days) with 4-6 ounces Boars head black forest ham rollups

Snacks (1-2 per day, depending on exercise level)

Apple with almond butter (2 days)

Smoothie with 1 scoop whey protein, 1 cup almond milk, 1-2 cups spinach, 1 cup frozen cherries (2-4 days)

Greek yogurt with flax (3 days)

Grocery List

large butternut squash (3 lbs.), 3 red onions, 9 medium apples (any cooking variety), peeled, cored and diced, nutmeg, ginger, salt, pepper, 3 leeks, 1 lb celery, 1 lb carrots (plus more celery for chicken salad and carrots for crudités), 1 red pepper (plus an extra pepper or 2 for crudités), 1 white onion, garlic, 2 bananas, 2 grapefruit, 1 lb spinach, 1 small head of lettuce for sandwiches, 2 cups cottage cheese, 10 eggs, 6 Greek yogurts (plain), ½ cup goat cheese, 1 carton liquid egg whites, 1 bag frozen cherries, whey protein, almond milk, 1 lb Boars head turkey, 1 lb boars head ham (don’t need this much for 1 person, but there is a certain husband in my house that likes to break in to the deli meat), 1 rotisserie chicken, 1 cup chicken stock, 4 cups chicken broth, almond butter, flax seed meal, gluten free oats, Julian bakery paleo bread (or other bread of your choice for sandwiches), mustard.

 

Rotisserie Chicken Recipes

I am often left with half a rotisserie chicken (I buy a whole one and eat half for dinner when I'm in a rush!) and I'm not a huge fan of reheating it.  These are two recipes I use to make the most of "the other half",  so I don't waste my pricey Whole Foods chicken!

1. For lunches: "Cleaned up" Rotisserie Chicken salad

Ingredients: 1 cup greek yogurt, 1/2 Rotisserie chicken (skin removed and chopped in to pieces), 1 cup chopped celery, 1 small red onion chopped, 2 Tbsp deli style mustard, salt and pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Makes about 4 cups (4 servings) of chicken salad.  I like to put mine on top of apple slices, on a salad, or in a sandwich for a yummy lunch!

2. For dinners or healing a cold or flu :-): Chicken and veggie soup

Ingredients: 1/2 rotisserie chicken (chopped-you can leave skin on or take it off, depending on preference), 2-3 cups chicken broth, 1/2 lb carrots, 1/2 lb celery, 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves,  1-2 leeks, salt and pepper to taste, oil (just enough to saute)

Sauté veggies in olive oil or coconut oil. Add broth and chicken. Cook on low for 1 hour. Serve on its own or mix in 1/2 cup rice per bowl (makes 3 large or 5-6 small bowls)

Meal plan and shop for week of 1/20

This week is a tapering week, because I have my very first crossfit competition on Saturday! I'll be exercising a little less, so Calorie needs will be slightly lower (1800-2000 range). When Calorie needs decrease, we really need to focus on quality of food, reducing any extra solid fats and added sugars, in order to make sure we pack in the fiber, vitamins, and minerals necessary for optimal performance and health!  Therefore, I'm making a little goal for myself to make sure I have a high quality protein, plus a fruit and/or a veggie at every meal and snack.  I am also increasing my snacks to 2 per day so I don't raid the chocolate and cheese supply after dinner!

Recipes for the week will help me ensure that fruit and veggie intake is high, as well as help me keep my healthy fats and high quality protein in a good range.  I also have some extra time this week, so I don't have to prep ahead as much! If I did, I would make veggie egg white muffins (see last post) vs the scramble and prep bison chili, cauliflower, chicken, and root veggies in advance! Depending on how my workouts and recovery are feeling, I might add some jasmine rice or gluten free cornbread to the bison chili.

Recipes 

Mashed cauliflower

Mashed root veggies (I used parsnips, rutabaga, turnip, and carrots)

Bison chili (I added diced peppers and black beans)

Broiled chicken thighs (I used coconut oil in place of butter, and Braggs aminos instead of soy sauce)

Egg white scramble(I omitted the cheese)

Lemon codfish

For the green smoothie: 1 cup spinach, 1 cup frozen berries or cherries, 1 scoop whey protein, 1 cup almond milk

Grocery list

Healthy fats: coconut oil, olive oil, walnuts, flax seeds, almond milk

High quality protein: 1 lb boars head turkey breast, 1 lb bison meat, 1 lb chicken thighs, 6 eggs, whey protein powder, 1 carton liquid egg whites, 2 cups plain greek yogurt, can of black beans (12 oz cod purchased on day of)

Fruits: 5 apples, 2 grapefruit, 2 bananas, 3-4 pears, 2 cups frozen berries, 1 cups frozen cherries, 1 lemon

Vegetables: 6 cups spinach, 2 cups peppers, 4 cups celery, 2 cups carrots, 2 onion, 4 sweet potatoes, 1 tomato, 1 cucumber, 2 parsnips, 1 turnip, 1 rutabaga, can green chiles, jar salsa, canned tomatoes, head garlic, Brussels sprouts, head lettuce, head cauliflower

Other: Paleo bread (coconut from Julian bakery), vega protein powder, amazing grass chocolate superfood, Braggs amino acids, (bacon and parmasean cheese for Geoff's Brussels sprouts)-this is obviously optional!

Meal plan (note, grocery list includes dinners for two!)

Breakfasts (20-30g protein, 400 Calories):

1. Green smoothie (3 days)

2. Egg white scramble with a side of fruit-grapefruit (2 days)

Lunches (20-30g protein, 400-500 Calories)

1. Greek yogurt with flax seeds (2tbsp), walnuts (2tbsp), and banana (2 days)

2. Paleo turkey sandwich (4oz turkey)  with mustard, tomato and lettuce, celery sticks and piece of fruit (3 days)

Snacks (10-20g protein, 1-200 calories)

1. 2 hard boiled eggs, crudités-cucumber/peppers/carrots etc, fruit (3 days)

2.  Turkey roll ups with 2 oz turkey, lettuce, mustard and apple slices (2 days)

3. Vega protein post workout shake mixed with almond milk and chocolate superfood (every day post hard workout---run/row/crossfit)

Dinners (35-45g protein, 600 calories)

Monday: chicken thighs broiled with baked sweet potato and mashed cauliflower

Tuesday: leftovers from Monday 

Wednesday: bison chili

Thursday: leftovers from Wednesday 

Friday: (purchase fish day of): lemon codfish, mashed root veggies, roasted Brussels sprouts

Weekly Meal Planning and Shopping

As the new year rolls in, I have had a lot of clients interested in doing more cooking at home.  As a person who has a very limited amount of time during the week to cook (and also really hates cleaning), I have become a master of the "plan ahead Sunday". In just a half hour of planning, a one hour grocery trip, and 2 hours of cooking and cleaning, I have planned and prepped my Monday through Friday meals (note: Saturday and Sunday are sort of a free-for all....I'm working on it!).

15 minute planning session: I thought about my goals for the week (limiting added sugar, packing in nutrient density, portable breakfasts to eat post workout, 1 portable dinner for my late Monday work night, and some meals that my husband will actually eat at dinner!)   I have to plan dinners for the two of us, but we fend for ourselves for breakfast and lunch (i.e. I plan and pack my meals, and he drinks coffee for breakfast and purchases some sort of cheesy, fatty deliciousness for lunch...working on that one too).

Meal Plan for the Week (2000ish Calorie diet with 40% Calories from Carbs, 30% from protein and 30% from fat spread pretty evenly throughout the day, with carbohydrates focused at the beginning of the day and around exercise)

Breakfasts (500-600 Calories per day): 

3 days: egg white veggie muffins and oatmeal

2 days: banana walnut paleo pancakes

Lunches (500-600 Calories per day)

3 days: turkey sandwich on gf bread, 1 fruit, 1 cup veggies

2 days: chicken sandwich on gf bread, 1 fruit, 1 cup veggies

Snacks (roughly 200 Calories per day)

3 days: yogurt with flax seeds

2 days: veggie lite muffin (these things are awesome little treats-my indulgence for the week)

Dinners (500-600 Calories per day with some extra for sure when I go out Friday night!)

Monday: Baked chicken with quinoa and sauteed veggies

Tuesday: Zucchini lasagna

Wednesday: Whole foods rotisserie chicken and sweet potato fries, sauteed cabbage

Thursday: leftovers (chicken, cabbage, quinoa)

Friday: Out to eat with my hubby :-)

So, my make ahead meals this week include (kept oven at 350 degrees at times listed for each)

http://www.buff-dudes.com/egg-white-muffin-recipe/ (used some cut up mushrooms, and tomatoes in place of peppers and added in 2 chicken sausages to the recipe)-makes 3 servings

http://jenessasdinners.blogspot.com/2013/04/almond-flour-pancakes.html (omitted the honey and used coconut milk instead of skim milk.  Also used 3 egg whites in place of the 2 eggs)-makes 2 servings

http://staceyschaedler.blogspot.com/2011/10/fun-food-for-fall.html (I used 2 large zucchini, and added in 1/2 cup feta cheese, 1 jar pasta sauce, and 1/2 cup cottage cheese)-makes 4 servings

Also: chicken, sweet potato fries, bacon, quinoa

Grocery list includes:

4 large zucchini/summer squash (could also do 5-6 small)

2 onions

1 cabbage

1 head garlic (mixed this with sauteed veggies and put a little in lasagna)

1 package mushrooms

2 bananas

5 apples (2 red, 3 green, just to mix it up!)

2 lb carrots

lb spinach

1 head romaine lettuce

1sweet potato

2 lb celery

1 tomato

12 eggs (whites)

4 chicken sausage

2 chicken breast

1 lb lean beef

1/2 lb bacon (to put on some of Geoff's meals---I ate a little too much bacon over the holidays!)

1 lb turkey (boars head blackened turkey)

1 loaf canyon bakehouse bread (need 10 slices)

1 jar tomato sauce

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup feta cheese

coconut oil

flax seed (ground)

almond flour/almond meal

instant gluten free oatmeal (need 3 packets)

veggie lite muffins (just need 2 this week-save the other 2 in package for next week)

coconut milk (1/4 cup for cooking, about 1 cup for coffee)

coffee for the week :-)

To buy midweek: Rotisserie chicken from whole foods!

After the grocery store, it was prep time.  I browned the meat for the lasagna, sliced up my zucchini, chopped the extra zucchini, onion, garlic, mushrooms, spinach, and fully cooked chicken sausage, and cut the sweet potatoes in to strips.  Then I started boiling water for the quinoa.  I mixed the lasagna ingredients as directed and put the lasagna in the oven. (45 minute timer)

Next, I put the chicken breast, sweet potatoes, and bacon on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven (30 minute timer)

By this time, the water was boiling and I added the quinoa.

Next, I sauteed the rest of the veggies with the chicken sausage and put half the mixture in muffin tins, then poured egg whites over the mixture and put the egg white muffins in the oven (20 minute timer).

I cleaned up my mess, got out a bowl, and made the pancake mixture.  I made the pancakes on the stove top while everything cooked.  The pancakes finished just as the quinoa was ready and everything in the oven was ready to come out.  I took 2 cups of the quinoa, sauteed it with the chicken sausage and veggies, and that was our dinner last night (with a little left over for Monday evening dinner)!  I let everything else cool, put things in individual containers for the week, and put half the lasagna in a freezer safe container to save for a future hectic week.  Did the dishes, and BAM!  Weekly meals done in about 3.5 hours total (including a trip to the grocery store!)  Now all I have to do is pack up my breakfasts and lunches, make a little cabbage mid week, and pick up a rotisserie chicken on Wednesday.  I am set up for a nutrient dense, quick and easy week!

2014 Intentions and Goal Setting Tips!

Well, 2013 was the best year of all time for me. Got engaged and married, spent more time with friends and family than I have in a decade, committed to yoga, found crossfit, became a tenured professor, and took about 4 full weeks of vacation (which I have never ever done)! All in all, I would say I really learned how to partake in the "life" part of work/life balance last year :-)

I envision 2014 as a time to put a little more focus back in to work and personal growth, while keeping the rest and the play that I have learned to incorporate this year!

When I think about setting goals for the year, I try to include something from every aspect of wellness, including physical, emotional, occupational, spiritual, social and intellectual. As a holistic health coach, I use the wellness wheel pictured below as I help clients set nutrition and exercise goals. An imbalance in any component of wellness can really affect the progress in others. For instance, if you work 80 hours per week, motivation to come home each night and cook a healthy dinner and run for a half hour might not be feasible: the occupational wellness is the issue, whereas the client tends yo beat him/herself up about "failing" the physical wellness goal.  

The wellness wheel can be really helpful in creating a balanced and happy life:

  

For some goal setting suggestions, check out my segment from yesterday on channel 22, "14 Tips for a Healthier you in 2014"!

http://youtu.be/VnyXXJ2jsuc

My goals for this year are as follows...note that I created overarching goals or visions, for each section and daily or weekly action steps to get there. It is important to 

physical: overarching goal=stay injury free and progress in my sports, while nourishing my body with real, healthy food.

---action for physical activity: get coaching and trust the process for crossfit and running, and challenge myself to compete in run/row/crossfit events 10 times this year.

----action for nutrition: join winter and summer farm share, eat at least 2 sit down meals per day, try 1 new recipe per week and post on this blog!

emotional: overarching goal: continue managing my work/life balance so I don't burn out

---action: take one complete day off work per week, one full weekend per month, and one full week quarterly (4 weeks per year)

occupational: overarching goal: figure out where I want to take my business

---action: enroll in Continuing education "Immersion" program through the institute for integrative nutrition to work on taking my business in a new direction

---financial action: make a monthly budget and be a better record keeper

spiritual: overarching goal: continue my yoga habit and add in meditation

---action: incorporate a meditation in to my daily routine and work up to 5 minutes per day

social: overarching goal: spend quality time with friends, family, and Geoff 

---action: take weekly action to speak with/meet up with friends and family and go n a date once per week

intellectual: Overarching goal: learn something new!

---action: enroll in the Precision Nutrition program to learn about and incorporate some new wellness skills for myself and clients.  

In order to stick with my lofty list, I have committed to a variety of "helpers" to hold me accountable, including an Ayurvedic health counselor to help with developing a mindful nutrition and meditation practice, IIN and Precision Nutrition programs to help me follow through with occupational and intellectual goals, and a crossfit endurance coach to help keep me in check with my typical "over do it" approach to athletics.  I also payed for the yearly farm share and yoga in advance to hold myself accountable.  We can't go at our goals alone. In order to create our best life, we must  invest in the resources to hold us accountable to get us there!  My clients are often surprised when I say that I work with coaches as well, as they see me as the "expert" in holistic health.  I truly believe that in order to be a great coach, one must put him or herself in his/her clients'  shoes and work on improving in all aspects of wellness as well.

Happy New Year and happy goal setting :-)