Vegetarian Lentils - Mmmm Good For You!

My son came home from work sick today.  Even though he is all grown up I still felt the need to take care of him.  He wanted soup but as I looked in the pantry I decided that a nice hot bowl of Vegetarian Lentils would do the trick.  This dish is hearty on it's own and is packed with lots of protein and nutrients! I garnished mine with some roasted Brussels Sprouts!



INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups of Lentils
• 4 cups of Vegetable stock or broth
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 small to medium onion
• 1/2 can petite diced tomatoes (with juice)
• 1 large carrot diced
• Olive Oil (or oil of choice), about 2 - 3 tbs
• Salt & Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Rinse lentils to be sure they are free of debris.
• Heat oil in a large skillet or saucepan.
• Saute the onions, garlic & carrots until softened
• Add vegetable stock, tomatoes & lentils
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Stir to incorporate and bring to a light boil
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 30 - 40 minutes until tender.

So simple and so good.  My son came running when he smelled these lentils cooking and I am happy to report that this dish really perked him up!  Read below to find out just how good this dish is for you!  Enjoy!

Here are 6 health benefits of lentils:

Heart Health
Studies have found that people who eat high fiber legumes like lentils have a much reduced risk of heart disease. The high levels of folate and magnesium in lentils also go a long way in protecting the heart.

Stabilize Blood Sugar
Due to their high fiber content, lentils help in regulating blood sugar by providing steady, slow-burning energy and balancing blood sugar levels.

High in Iron
Lentils are loaded with iron and are a great way to replenish the body's iron stores, especially for people who don't eat red meat like vegans and vegetarians.

B Vitamins
Lentils are a great source of B vitamins, most notably folate and niacin (B3). B vitamins are important for the healthy functioning of the nervous, digestive, and immune systems.

Lower Cholesterol
Lentils are a great cholesterol lowering food due to their high levels of fiber.

Protein Packed
Protein makes up 26% of the calories in lentils and they have the third highest level of protein than any other plant food. It's no wonder that they're a staple in many parts of the world.

Source - Health Diaries

Gluten Free Hawaiian Chicken

Hawaiian Chicken with peppers, onions & pineapples served over brown rice.
Gluten Free & Low Sugar

This is a quick and easy rendition of a Hawaiian style chicken without any added sugar.  If you are not concerned about your sugar intake then by all means, please feel free to add 2 - 3 tbs of brown sugar to the recipe and omit the natural sweeteners.

I also thought it was nice to cut the chicken into strips and toss it together with the rice & vegetables.  It gave it that extra sweetness I like and the saltiness melded into the rice and made a perfectly balanced dish.
INGREDIENTS:

• 4 - 6 Chicken Thighs (washed and patted dry)
• 1/2 cup Tamari gluten free Soy Sauce (Reduced Sodium)
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup of water (if you prefer a less salty taste use a bit more water)
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Pineapple Juice
• 2 - 4 packets Xylitol Sweetener  (substitute 2 - 3 Tbs sugar, omit the sweeteners)
• 2 - 4 packets of Stevia Sweetener
• 1 Tbs Sriracha Sauce (more if you like it spicy, less if you don't like the heat)
• 1 - 2 Cloves of fresh Garlic pressed or minced
• 1 Tbs Fresh Grated Ginger
• 1 Large Red Bell Pepper - sliced
• 1 Large Green Bell Pepper - sliced
• 1 Large Onion - sliced
• 1/2 can Pineapple Chunks or Rings broken into pieces
• Coconut Oil (to cook with)
• Salt & Pepper

MARINADE:

• Mix Tamari Sauce, Water, Pineapple Juice, Sweeteners, Garlic & Sriracha Sauce  in a large ziploc bag.
• Add Chicken thighs.
• Seal the bag and toss them inside to coat.
• Let them marinate for at least 1 hour.  The longer they marinate, the better as they absorb the flavor

VEGETABLES:

• Add a bit of coconut oil to a large, heated skillet.
• Add sliced bell peppers & onions and stir fry them until the onions become translucent and the bell peppers start to soften
• Add  about 1/2 of a can of either pineapple chunks or the rings that have been broken into pieces.
• Continue cooking until the pineapples start to get a slight color on them and the vegetables are cooked.
• Season with salt & pepper

RICE:

• Follow the directions for making your rice.  I used a brown Basmati Rice so it takes a bit longer to cook.  You can start the rice just before you start the vegetables or make it the night before so everything will be ready together.

CHICKEN:

• Use an outdoor (or indoor) Grill or a Grill Pan to cook the chicken
• Heat the Grill/Pan.
• Gently shake off excess marinade from chicken pieces.
• Do not crowd them on the grill
• Leave them alone on a med to med high heat to cook.

Enjoy!  Be sure to adjust the marinade to your taste.  More sweetener if you like it sweeter and less Tamari if you don't like too much salt.

Why You Should Walk & Squat Like A Toddler

Good Posture Begins From the Time You Learn To Stand:

Yes, that's right!  We should all aim to stand and walk like a toddler.  It seems that young children are born with naturally decent posture.  When they first learn to walk they may toddle around, hence the term toddler, but have you ever actually watched a young child's posture when they are standing, walking, running or all out moving?  Here you can see a small child squatting.  Look how he naturally rests on his heels, his knees are straight and don't turn in or out.  His chest is lifted and his spine is in a nice neutral position.  Can you do that?

As we age, we develop some bad habits.  Stress & fatigue can cause us to slump over, our spines to curve downward and our shoulders to slump.  Just sitting at a desk all day can cause our hip flexors to tighten up which will affect the whole kinetic chain. 

What is the Kinetic Chain?
The Kinetic Chain is the relationship, or how your nerves, muscles and bones work together to produce movements.
Once something in our kinetic chain becomes imbalanced we start to overcompensate in some way to avoid the discomfort we may feel and that begins the decline of our posture. As mentioned above, if you sit at a desk all day your muscles in your hips can become tightened due to under use. If your hips feel tight you will tend to lean forward which will in turn cause your shoulders to slump.

Injuries can also cause us to become imbalanced as we compensate the pain we feel with poor posture.

The next time you are out and about take the time to watch some young children playing, it could save your posture.

W.O.D. Workout of the Day - Fat Burning Circuit 10

Blast your fat with this intense circuit workout.  You just need a few simple items.
This is a  pyramid type workout.  You will start with 50 reps of the first exercise and take away 10 reps as you complete each exercise.

You will start and finish this workout with  some Jump Ropes.

EQUIPMENT

• Dumbbells
• Kettlebell (1 heavier Dumbbell will also work)
• Jump Rope (you can also jump without the jump rope)

WORKOUT

• Jump Rope - 400 reps
• Kettlebell High Pull  - 50 reps
• Feet Elevated Push Ups - 40 reps
• Dumbbell Step Ups - 30 reps (15 reps each side)
• Dumbbell Squat to Rotational Press - 20 reps
• 8 Count Body Builders - 10 reps
• Jump Rope - 200 reps

Go through this workout as quickly as possible.  Rest only as needed and get right back to it.  You want to keep your heart rate up and power through this workout to blast that fat!

Kettlebell High Pull (You can use 1 Dumbbell and hold each end)

Feet Elevated Push Ups

Dumbbell Step Ups

Dumbbell Squat with Rotation Press

8 Count Body Builders

Are you working out S.M.A.R.T.?

We all want to live a healthy lifestyle. Having goals is key to obtaining what we want. Often times our goals are not met because they are either unclear or we have unrealistic expectations. A good way to overcome this is to set S.M.A.R.T. goals.

• S - Specific
• M - Measurable
• A - Attainable/Achievable
• R - Realistic
• T - Time Based

SPECIFIC

• Your goals should be clear
• well defined
• Your reason
• Your purpose
• Your "Why"

MEASURABLE

• Measuring the progress towards your goal
• How Much, how long, etc.

ATTAINABLE

• How will this goal be accomplished?
• Is it within your grasp?

REALISTIC

• Is this goal possible to achieve?
• Are your sights set too high?
• Does it fit your "why"?

TIME BASED

• Set a time frame
• Give yourself enough time
• Don't give too much time or your goal will never be met

Couch to 5k - Up And Running Again!

I managed to get another run in yesterday.  I was able to go the whole 20 minutes.  I don't know why it has been so hard to get back where I was.  I am just happy that I was able to complete my goal.  I am hoping that I will be able to add those extra 5 minutes back on Saturday.  That will put me back where I was  before my ankle injury.

I wonder how long it takes before running becomes like walking and becomes second nature.  I find myself thinking about the clock.  I long for the time when I can just let my mind go and think about other things in life as I run.  I hope to get there soon.

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