Popcorn and Orange Julius

For the last 15 years I have had a tradition, it started with my roommate in Logan.  Every Sunday night we would make a great big bowl of Popcorn, and a lot of Orange Julius and we would sit and eat it and watch Law and Order.  I loved those times.

Then when I married Chris we kept the tradition going, when we were first married we watched Law and Order, and gradually our shoes have changed through the years, but the Popcorn and Orange Julius stayed the same.

Now that we have kids the show we watch is generally for them, but we do a family movie night and Popcorn and Orange Julius.  My kids love love love it.  They can't wait for eat each week.  If for some reason we miss it on Sunday nights we have to plan another night for it.

When I started my clean eating adventure this is one thing that I was not willing to give up, but as I have progressed I have discovered a new way.

Instead of putting butter on the popcorn I now use coconut oil and sea salt.  (Pretty good), I am not a person of change, so this was a tough one for me, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Then for Orange Julius I make an Orange Vanilla Shakeology instead.  Once again very good, and fills that hole for me.

So now I can enjoy our family Sunday night tradition with no Guilt.

Preparation

So I kid you not Preparation is the key to eating healthy!!!

If you don't have everything all prepared and to take with you, then guess what you will not succeed.  Because when we get hungry we grab the easiest thing to eat, and the easiest thing is not always the healthiest.

So this is what I do each Monday morning, I grill a lot of chicken, and cut it up and put it in a Tupperware, Sometimes I do a steak or some turkey.  I also cut up a lot of veggies, usually onions, red and green peppers, Celery and Carrots.  Then I cook some quinoa and brown rice and put them in Tupperware. Then I make sure that they are all packaged properly and put in my fridge so I can see what I have.  I also make sure to have Spinach and lettuce cut up and prepared for an easy salad.  I also always have tomatoes, asparagus, and broccoli on hand.  I also boil several eggs at the beginning of the week to have on hand.  I also have a lot of fruit on hand to snack on hand, and if it required being cut up I make sure it is too, such as melons.

Then I also look ahead at my weekly schedule and see what events I have that will inhibit me from staying on track, such as my kids activities, and church meetings, or volunteering at the school, then I know what days I need to have snacks ready to go, or have a meal in the crockpot so I am not throwing in a cardboard pizza in when we get home late from a game.

I also plan all my meals for the week so that when it comes to meal time it is not a stressful event.

Also for my husbands lunches I try to plan them at the beginning of the week too, and have them all placed in Tupperware's and labeled so he knows what he is taking each day.  Not only does this make sure he is eating healthier, but it saves a lot of money too.

Quinoa

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT QUINOA/

Quinoa is my new favorite food, I eat it almost everyday.

While quinoa is usually considered to be a whole grain, it is actually a seed, but can be prepared like whole grains such as rice or barley. Try a quinoa salad recipe, or serve a vegetable stir-fry over cooked quinoa instead of rice.

Quinoa is my favorite whole grain for three reasons:

• First, it takes less time to cook than other whole grains - just 10 to 15 minutes.
• Second, quinoa tastes great on its own, unlike other grains such as millet or teff. Add a bit of olive oil, sea salt and lemon juice and - yum!
• Finally, of all the whole grains, quinoa has the highest protein content, so it's perfect for vegetarians and vegans. Quinoa provides all 9 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Quinoa is a gluten-free and cholesterol-free whole grain, is kosher for Passover, and is almost always organic.

Clean Eating

What is Clean Eating

Clean Eating has changed my life, and I have beachbody and my sister-in-law to thank for that.  After

Eating clean is not a diet, it’s a lifestyle.  It’s quite easy to do actually.  It doesn’t have strict rules like paleo, gluten-free, etc. It is all about eating whole foods.  What does that mean?  Real, whole foods.  Most of my grocery shopping happens on the perimeter of the store and I try to limit my processed foods.
I used to think that eating healthy meant not enjoying delicious foods. I have learned that I can have good-for-me food without sacrificing any flavor. It all depends on the ingredients and how they’re prepared. I am so thankful to learn this lifestyle, because before Beachbody, I simply did not know any better, nor did I want to.

Think you’re too busy to eat clean?  Think again.  It is all about preparation, and if you are prepared than it is easy. 

I live by the 80/20 rule.  What does that mean?  I eat a mostly clean lifestyle, but I like to indulge in things like cake or buffalo wings.  All things in moderation peeps.  Life is short, and I don’t want to live without ice cream, pasta, pizza, or nacho's.  I like to use my splurges on one day or a couple meals throughout the week.  It all depends on how I’m feeling.
 I enjoy food too much to view it just as fuel, which is why I am always creating tasty, healthy alternatives for my family.  This portion of my blog is going to focus on giving you ideas, and helping you become prepared and bring clean eating into your family.