Hey Guys!
I know it has been a while since I have written some AWESOME and HELPFUL information, but now that I recently graduated from Florida Atlantic University with my BA, I have much more time to focus on this!
I am in the process of trying out some new diet changes and more changes in the gym too. With that being said, I will be back to update you on my results through these changes in about two months. I could keep updating now, but I think the experimenting will allow for greater help!
I am so excited to let you all in on a few tricks of the trade I have discovered since I have been "away".
Monday, July 9, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
The benefits of drinking water
Drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day is extremely important for our bodies! Here is why.
It's never too late to quit smoking
These two articles really explain the benefits of quitting smoking. Many people in my life smoke cigarettes and I think it's an extremely selfish habit. Though I understand it is hard to quit, I also think it is completely necessary to do for the benefit of your health! Please, take this into consideration; it is never too late to quit.
How to stop smoking, and start working out! - LiveStrong teaches you some ways to start
Timeline of how quickly your body heals itself - Recovery time table really puts it into perspective
Please.
How to stop smoking, and start working out! - LiveStrong teaches you some ways to start
Timeline of how quickly your body heals itself - Recovery time table really puts it into perspective
Please.
Skinny Recipe's for all meals of the day
I came across a great blog that covers recipe's for the "skinny" mind. SkinnyTaste blog, by Gina Homolka, has tons of recipe's for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. All of her recipe's are skinny conscious and provide nutritional benefits, while tasting great. So far, I have tried the Avocado Egg Salad and Baked Eggplant Sticks; both were amazing!
If you're getting hungry at any time in the day, scroll on over to her site and figure out something to delicious to whip up. You won't regret it!
If you're getting hungry at any time in the day, scroll on over to her site and figure out something to delicious to whip up. You won't regret it!
A quick healthy snack
- 3 stalks of celery
- 1/4 cup of raisins
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
This is a quick snack, all you have to do is spread a light layer of peanut butter on each stalk of celery, and line raisins up and down the stalk. Well there you have it, "ants on a log."
- 1/4 cup of raisins
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
This is a quick snack, all you have to do is spread a light layer of peanut butter on each stalk of celery, and line raisins up and down the stalk. Well there you have it, "ants on a log."
Monday, March 12, 2012
Benefits of the veggies you eat!
Are you curious as to which vegetables are good for you and why?! This video tells you exactly that, and even color coordinates it for you!
Are you a beginner?
Just because my good friend Abbey knows exactly what she is talking about, here is another article to read! When exercising as a beginner, it is so important to be careful and be educated on what you are doing.
Either read it at What's Tha Word or below.
If you’re a beginner, try weight training with weight that you can only do 8-12 repetitions and do 8-10 exercises, one set of each exercise. For instance:
Either read it at What's Tha Word or below.
If you’re a beginner, try weight training with weight that you can only do 8-12 repetitions and do 8-10 exercises, one set of each exercise. For instance:
- Squat (Body weight if that is hard enough, then hold dumbbells when extra weight is needed) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKKZ9AGYTi4
- Step Ups with Dumbbells (Use your body weight in the beginning and add weight when needed. Do not use a step that causes you to bend your knees more than 90 degrees!) http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/barbell-step-ups
- Front squat (Instead of holding the dumbbells to your sides like in the squat, hold one dumbbell at chest level and squat. Make sure when you are squatting that you are only going down to where your thigh and calf make a 90 degree angle, not all the way down like in the video!) http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/goblet-squat
- Dumbbell Bench Press http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-bench-press
- Shoulder Press http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-shoulder-press
- Incline dumbbell Bench Press http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iPEnn-ltC8
- Bent Over Dumbbell row (the form is the same on the video below, just substitute dumbbells) http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/smith-machine-bent-over-row
- One Arm Dumbbell Row http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/one-arm-dumbbell-row
- Upright Row (Only lift the dumbbell so that your arm is parallel to the floor, not any higher!) http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-one-arm-upright-row
Women and Strength Training
My friend Abbey Hilton, a broadcast Journalism/Arts and Humanities major at Florida Atlantic University, also works as an Executive Associate and writer for What's Tha Word. On their website, they state that their mission is to inform you on what's popular and trending in the Generation Y community (Ages 16-29). Music, Entertainment, Fashion, Sports, Health&Fitness, News, Food or Travel, are all topics they cover.
Just this past week Abbey wrote a story for What's Tha Word that I absolutely LOVED. It is definitely a story that I want to share with all of you about women and the importance of strength training.
To read the article from their website you can go here, otherwise you can also view it below.
Women and Strength Training
Most of the time when people think of women in the gym, they think of the term “cardio queens” because women are more prone to be on the aerobics machines rather than lifting weights. One of the main reasons women tend to shy away from weight training is because of the fear of becoming bulky. I also think that women tend to shy away from weights because they are uncomfortable. Then, even when women do occasionally chose to do weight training, they often choose weights that are too light to get all of the wonderful benefits that weight training has to offer. It’s time to step out of our comfort zones and lift some weights.
Being healthy and beautiful in today’s world is a little skewed. Women are surrounded with magazine pictures of crazy skinny models and TV ads with women that set unrealistic expectations for ourselves and for every normal woman in the world. Did you know there is such as a thing as being skinny-fat? A lot of the models have very little muscle and may seem small to the eye but most likely they still have a high percentage of body fat which puts them at just as much risk as an obese person. Most of these women are not healthy. Even men prefer women that are more muscular. A study was done where men were shown a picture of a skinny model and of a strong, toned woman. 98% of the men chose the muscular woman.
The first myth, that women will become bulky if they start a weight training program, is very false. First of all, women have smaller muscle fibers than men, so it is physically impossible to gain as much muscle mass as a man. The second reason is because we don’t have the same hormones as men. The main hormone that helps men get bigger faster as they begin to lift weights is testosterone. Women have 10-30 times less of the hormones that make men gain muscle mass. So instead of getting big, we gain muscle definition and tone.
Hopefully now you might be considering starting a weight training program in addition or maybe even replacing some of your laborious cardio sessions. Weight training has so many benefits. To start, weight training increases your bone density which prevents osteoporosis. Osteoporosis should be on the mind of every woman. Women build their bone density until they are 25- 30 years old. Then after that, women lose the bone that was built up. Weight training builds up your bones while you are in the building years and slows down bone deterioration while we age. In addition, it also builds up and strengthens your ligaments and tendons.
Weight lifting also increases your daily caloric burn. A study done by Wayne Wescott, PhD, showed that women who weight trained 2-3 times a week gained 2 pounds of muscle and lost 3.5 pounds of fat in 2 months. For every pound of muscle gained, 35-50 more calories a day are burned. That means if a woman were to do this for a full year, then she would gain 12 pounds of muscle and burn an extra 420-600 calories a day by the end of the year, without having to work harder! That’s an extra 45-60 minutes of cardio you would have to do to burn those calories.
To add to the list of benefits, weight lifting helps maintain muscle mass as we grow older. As we age, we tend to lose 8% of our muscle mass every decade. Weight training is the gateway to stop this process. If a person has very little muscle mass and continues to lose the little mass they have as they age, there is a point where that person can no longer function because of all of the muscle mass lost. This is not an ending anyone would want to be a part of. It also lowers LDL, the bad cholesterol and increases HDL, the good cholesterol while decreasing blood pressure. Lifting weights helps decrease depression and build confidence. A Harvard study showed that people who had depression had better success with weight training for 10 weeks in reducing clinical depression symptoms than counseling. Weight training can also help manage chronic conditions such as arthritis, back pain, diabetes, and obesity.
Now that you have read many, but not all of the benefits of weight training, I hope you are inspired to add weight training to your program if you haven’t already. Even if you are already lifting, may this spur you on to lift more and challenge your muscles.
*Follow Abbey on Twitter @AbbeyHilton
And also follow @WhatsThaWord !
Just this past week Abbey wrote a story for What's Tha Word that I absolutely LOVED. It is definitely a story that I want to share with all of you about women and the importance of strength training.
To read the article from their website you can go here, otherwise you can also view it below.
Women and Strength Training
Most of the time when people think of women in the gym, they think of the term “cardio queens” because women are more prone to be on the aerobics machines rather than lifting weights. One of the main reasons women tend to shy away from weight training is because of the fear of becoming bulky. I also think that women tend to shy away from weights because they are uncomfortable. Then, even when women do occasionally chose to do weight training, they often choose weights that are too light to get all of the wonderful benefits that weight training has to offer. It’s time to step out of our comfort zones and lift some weights.
Being healthy and beautiful in today’s world is a little skewed. Women are surrounded with magazine pictures of crazy skinny models and TV ads with women that set unrealistic expectations for ourselves and for every normal woman in the world. Did you know there is such as a thing as being skinny-fat? A lot of the models have very little muscle and may seem small to the eye but most likely they still have a high percentage of body fat which puts them at just as much risk as an obese person. Most of these women are not healthy. Even men prefer women that are more muscular. A study was done where men were shown a picture of a skinny model and of a strong, toned woman. 98% of the men chose the muscular woman.
The first myth, that women will become bulky if they start a weight training program, is very false. First of all, women have smaller muscle fibers than men, so it is physically impossible to gain as much muscle mass as a man. The second reason is because we don’t have the same hormones as men. The main hormone that helps men get bigger faster as they begin to lift weights is testosterone. Women have 10-30 times less of the hormones that make men gain muscle mass. So instead of getting big, we gain muscle definition and tone.
Hopefully now you might be considering starting a weight training program in addition or maybe even replacing some of your laborious cardio sessions. Weight training has so many benefits. To start, weight training increases your bone density which prevents osteoporosis. Osteoporosis should be on the mind of every woman. Women build their bone density until they are 25- 30 years old. Then after that, women lose the bone that was built up. Weight training builds up your bones while you are in the building years and slows down bone deterioration while we age. In addition, it also builds up and strengthens your ligaments and tendons.
Weight lifting also increases your daily caloric burn. A study done by Wayne Wescott, PhD, showed that women who weight trained 2-3 times a week gained 2 pounds of muscle and lost 3.5 pounds of fat in 2 months. For every pound of muscle gained, 35-50 more calories a day are burned. That means if a woman were to do this for a full year, then she would gain 12 pounds of muscle and burn an extra 420-600 calories a day by the end of the year, without having to work harder! That’s an extra 45-60 minutes of cardio you would have to do to burn those calories.
To add to the list of benefits, weight lifting helps maintain muscle mass as we grow older. As we age, we tend to lose 8% of our muscle mass every decade. Weight training is the gateway to stop this process. If a person has very little muscle mass and continues to lose the little mass they have as they age, there is a point where that person can no longer function because of all of the muscle mass lost. This is not an ending anyone would want to be a part of. It also lowers LDL, the bad cholesterol and increases HDL, the good cholesterol while decreasing blood pressure. Lifting weights helps decrease depression and build confidence. A Harvard study showed that people who had depression had better success with weight training for 10 weeks in reducing clinical depression symptoms than counseling. Weight training can also help manage chronic conditions such as arthritis, back pain, diabetes, and obesity.
Now that you have read many, but not all of the benefits of weight training, I hope you are inspired to add weight training to your program if you haven’t already. Even if you are already lifting, may this spur you on to lift more and challenge your muscles.
*Follow Abbey on Twitter @AbbeyHilton
And also follow @WhatsThaWord !
Recipe for Couscous Salad - DELISH!
This recipe I found is delicious! Hope you enjoy making it as much as I did!
1/4 cup olive oil
1 (6 oz) box of pearled couscous
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 can of chick peas (15 oz)
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 tsp pepper
1 large zucchini diced
1 large squash diced
1 pint of mixed cherry tomatoes cut in halves
1 cup shredded carrots
4 oz of fresh goat cheese crumbled
1. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat
2. Mix in the couscous and stir
3. When the couscous becomes lightly browned ( about 3 minutes ) add the broth
4. Bring to a boil
5. Lower the heat to simmer and let most of the broth evaporate ( about 10 minutes )
6. Remove & drain in a colander
7. In a large bowl, add the couscous, chick peas, onion, and pepper
8. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat
9. Add the zucchini and squash to saute for about 5 minutes
10. Add into the large bowl, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, carrots, and the remainder of the oil for dressing
11. Sprinkle the goat cheese amongst the mixture and toss
For added flavor or more "dressing" add a little lemon juice and toss together
This recipe makes 4 servings - approx. 400 calories each with 24g of protein in each serving.
*Vegan - omit the cheese!
*Always use fresh ORGANIC ingredients!
*For those meat eaters - Dice up some chicken and toss it in there!
1/4 cup olive oil
1 (6 oz) box of pearled couscous
2 cups of vegetable broth
1 can of chick peas (15 oz)
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 tsp pepper
1 large zucchini diced
1 large squash diced
1 pint of mixed cherry tomatoes cut in halves
1 cup shredded carrots
4 oz of fresh goat cheese crumbled
1. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat
2. Mix in the couscous and stir
3. When the couscous becomes lightly browned ( about 3 minutes ) add the broth
4. Bring to a boil
5. Lower the heat to simmer and let most of the broth evaporate ( about 10 minutes )
6. Remove & drain in a colander
7. In a large bowl, add the couscous, chick peas, onion, and pepper
8. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat
9. Add the zucchini and squash to saute for about 5 minutes
10. Add into the large bowl, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, carrots, and the remainder of the oil for dressing
11. Sprinkle the goat cheese amongst the mixture and toss
For added flavor or more "dressing" add a little lemon juice and toss together
This recipe makes 4 servings - approx. 400 calories each with 24g of protein in each serving.
*Vegan - omit the cheese!
*Always use fresh ORGANIC ingredients!
*For those meat eaters - Dice up some chicken and toss it in there!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Ab Ripper X video to follow along!
After doing the workout program, P90X, twice
It is a "NO-brainer" to me that AB RIPPER X works!
only work your abs every other day
the entire video for Ab Ripper X below
goes through every move
goes through every move
you should be doing
25-30 repetitions for each exercise
*you will only notice your abs
25-30 repetitions for each exercise
*you will only notice your abs
getting more developed WITH
the incorporation of an
entire body workout routine as well
entire body workout routine as well
work hard = get results
A video to help you realize why organic is better
so the video below is SUPER silly
and it will probably make you think about how some adults can be so corny
BUT
the information is all so great
& they know what they're talking about
it is explained here in simpler form ..
Very Very Vegi Soup Recipe
Here is a recipe to my AMAZING
"very, very, vegi soup" with chicken
so good you'll want to have it all week
& don't worry, it makes enough for SIX servings
- so have some now & have some later -
that way you can count on a healthy lunch OR dinner already prepared throughout the week
The recipe:
1, 15.5 oz. can of cannelloni white beans, low-sodium, rinsed, drained
1, Tb. olive oil
1, cup large onion diced
1, carrot diced
2, stalks of celery diced
1, zucchini diced
1, Tb. fresh thyme
2, Tsps. fresh sage chopped
1, Tsp. fresh ground black pepper
4, cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1, 14.5 oz. can of chopped tomatoes PLUS the juice
2, cups baby spinach leaves
2, chicken breasts - antibiotic free, vegetarian fed
What to do:
- In a small bowl, mash half the amount of beans with a masher & set aside
- Grill (on George Foreman grill) the 2 chicken breasts, plain, until tender
(cook on tinfoil to avoid previous oils on the grill from touching the chicken) - Chop the chicken into small diced pieces, set aside
- Heat oil in large soup pot over medium heat
- Add onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, thyme, sage, pepper
- cook and stir until the vegetables are tender (5 minutes)
- Add broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil
- Add the mashed AND whole beans and the spinach
- stir for about five minutes while soup remains at a boil
- add the diced chicken pieces
- stir for about three more minutes
*serve with a whole grain roll, if desired
** all ingredients [organic] if possible
*** omit the chicken breast to make this a vegetarian friendly meal!
Per serving: 143 Calories, 20g Carbs, 8g Protein, 4g fat (.5 saturated), 5g fiber, NO cholesterol
inspired by: Ellie Krieger, of Food Network's Healthy Appetite
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Ellen Degeneres on being VEGAN!
Although I am fairly new to all of this
VEGETARIAN -and/or- VEGAN "stuff"
I am trying a GREAT deal to do my best in reducing
the amount of chicken, beef, turkey, & dairy products that I consume
I have for the most part been able to support the vegetarian diet, but have not
yet made it to the full vegan diet.
Ellen Degeneres, one of the most inspirational, smart, honest, and passionate people I have ever
"known"
speaks about her decision to becoming vegan & this too is extremely similar to my own feelings as well
What is it?! Why choose Organic?!
Definition:
"Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances bio-diversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on MINIMAL use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony."
Grower or processor certification necessities:
- The land must be free of prohibited substances for three years prior to certification
- Farmers and processors must keep detailed records of farming methods and the materials used in production.
- All methods and materials are inspected annually by a third party certifying agent.
- All farmers and handlers are required to maintain written plans detailed with their organic management practices.
So why should you choose [ORGANIC] ?!
- Protects our health: limits the release of toxic chemicals into the environment and into our food supply - support a healthy lifestyle!
- Supports the environment: creates a long term farming solution which sustains our land and water resources
- Protects our waters: no chemicals are used that pollute our ground water - our PRIMARY source of drinking water!
- Creates a diverse ecosystem: allows a wide variety of plant species and wild animals to thrive in their natural habitats
- No genetic modification: organic food is NEVER genetically modified or engineered, they are never irradiated!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
in search for a great organic market?!
Today I found an amazing ORGANIC market in Boca Raton
[where I currently live]
& let me tell you, it was not hard to find!
Last night while sitting in bed, I decided to google
"Vegan and Vegetarian Friendly Restaurants In Boca Raton"
after doing so, a generous list of places showed up from markets and grocery stores, to restaurants and cafes. I was led to the
I encourage EVERYONE to find a similar store close to YOU!
Here's a little information about the one I found
I am SURE that you will be able to find something similar in your area as well
- 100% Organic Gourmet Market in Boca Raton
- Open seven days a week
- offer free samples every day
- only location in Palm Beach County catering to vegans, vegetarians, and raw foodies
- Organic Grocery, Produce and Prepared Food, including organic meats and seafood dishes
- line of supplements and nutritional products
4th Generation is located on the corner of SE 3rd Street and Federal Highway, just south of Palmetto Park Road in front of Royal Palm Place.
two of us ate lunch at the cafe they have in the back of the market
let me share with you what I myself had
- 1 Vegi Burger made with brown rice&vegetables
- a side of roasted corn and bean salad [vegan]
- 1 Poland Springs Water
You are able to try ANYTHING in their hot or cold window as well
in case you are new to all this [like me]
IT WAS SO DELICIOUS & AMAZING!
Monday, February 20, 2012
make a LITTLE snack, A LOT better!
You know you want to munch on that
[ORGANIC] apple
but you're trying to spice it up a little bit
no pun intended
no pun intended
Sprinkle on some CINNAMON spice !!
[brand: simply organic]
[brand: simply organic]
It's a great way to change it up & make it more tasty than it already is !!
Also for your
[ORGANIC] banana or [ORGANIC] kiwi
lightly drizzle on some all natural AGAVE NECTAR
[brand: madhava honey, organic agave nectar]
[brand: madhava honey, organic agave nectar]
(Skinny Bitch; page 30):
"...We're simply suggesting that you substitute natural, healthier alternatives for refined sugar. At the top of the list is agave nectar or syrup. This high-nutrient sweetener can actually be beneficial to your health. It doesn't contain any processing chemicals, and the raw version (completely unprocessed) contains vitamins and minerals. Because it absorbs slowly into the bloodstream, agave nectar doesn't have a significant impact on blood-sugar levels. It can be sued in place of sugar in any product or recipe."
The Fruit Flush with a little reading
Alright, so it's been little while.
But, it is only because I have been discovering some
LIFE CHANGING
ways of eating right & making better decisions for myself !
I hope I can influence you to do the same.
Over the past week I have focused many things, but amongst them I spent A LOT of time on two specifics:
- I researched a few cleanses that are designed to aide in digestion and decided to do "THE FRUIT FLUSH" designed by Jay Robb, is designed to flush out toxins while eating fresh raw fruit and vegetables throughout a three day process. His site which has all the information listed is a great source for finding out more about how to clean your body out!
- I also started (and finished) the book SKINNY BITCH by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin and discovered that being "skinny" is way easier than it seems!
let me explain ..
Personally, I decided to do The Fruit Flush from Friday, Feb. 17, to Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012. I decided to "cleanse" based on the fact that I wanted to rid my body of the extra 7 lbs. (approximately) that is held in your intestine (even if you just went to the bathroom & THINK you got "it" all out). By eating fruits and vegetables combined throughout the three days, along with a ton of protein on "Day 1" and a lot of water the entire cleanse, your body begins to get rid of the toxins and break your old food addiction problems.
“During the 3-Day Fruit Flush, your system is relieved of the digestive burden of eating other foods and can clean out its system while burning fat because fruit is nature’s perfect cleansing food," says personal trainer and certified clinical nutritionist Jay Robb, author of the Fruit Flush 3 Day Detox.
As a result from the cleanse, I personally lost six pounds, keeping in mind results vary.
This allowed for me to kick some food addictions I had prior while also allowing my body to detox from toxins and set itself up to continue on a healthy eating path.
I confused myself a little when I found myself reading Skinny Bitch throughout the 3-day cleanse and realized I need to make even GREATER changes in my diet, even though I thought I was already on a pretty good track (minus the cupcakes and desserts I would occasionally crave).
The book Skinny Bitch really opened my eyes to A LOT of information concerning what I have been doing wrong, along with what many people are doing wrong, on a daily basis with what we are eating.
Stated on their site: If you can't take one more day of self-loathing, you're ready to hear the truth: You cannot keep shoveling the same crap into your mouth every day and expect to lose weight.
I know that this is a bunch of information to take in at once, but trust me, I HIGHLY suggest looking into first The Fruit Flush and follow it by reading the book Skinny Bitch.
< - - The Fruit Flush !!
The Book !! - - > 
I am going to give everyone some time to research BOTH of the topics I covered and follow up in a couple of days. Mind you, I have not EVER read a book cover to cover until Skinny Bitch!
Do it.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Motivation
you don't always get what you WISH for
you get what you WORK for
someone [ busier than you ] is out running
right now
right now
put your sneakers on & lets go !
Set goals for yourself
it's GOAL time
when you get to the gym & on a machine
set your goal BEFORE you get on the machine
that way you have something to strive toward
Cross Ramp
Today's goal: 5000 strides / 30 minutes
Finishing: 5033 strides / 33 minutes
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Just a quick fitness tip
When you first wake up eat a quick snack - something like a banana or some apple slices - THEN work out. Doing cardio on a slightly filled stomach (but still after consuming something that will give you some energy) will help you burn more calories and feel like you can work LONGER - rather than cardio on a very full stomach, which will make you feel tired and only able to work out for a short period of time!!
go to sleep on a light stomach & start your day with a light stomach
Why should you keep a food diary?
It is smart to keep a FOOD DIARY in which you will record everything you eat that day, the time you are eating it, the amount you are eating, and basically any details you can imagine.
WHY?
This will help with knowing how to adjust your diet through out the weeks!
Example: If you journal your eating on a VERY busy day, it will be easier for you to remember what time in your day you need to focus more on! If you realize that you're going a few hours without eating, more than two, while you're at school, you will then know to pack snacks in your bag so that doesn't happen!
Keeping a food journal and marking down what you eat WILL help - so start NOW !!
Eggplant Recipe for dinner
WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
- 1 egg
- 1 organic eggplant
- 1 ball of Mozzarella cheese
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 can of fresh tomatoes (made fresh, not remanufactured from paste, no water added)
- 1 can of pasta sauce of your choice depending on if you want vodka sauce, tomato basil, alfredo etc.
- seasoned Italian bread crumbs
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 wash brush
The Fresh Market (TFM) makes it possible for your ALL your ingredients to be fresh. Though they sell both organic products, and non-organic products, you make your own decision on which to use.
.. WHAT TO DO ..
- rinse and dry your eggplant to get off any residue
- slice your eggplant into medium size slices (depending on the size of the eggplant the amount of slices will vary)
- coat a baking sheet with a piece of tin foil, that way you know you're on a clean slate
- take about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and with a paper towel spread the olive oil amongst the pan with an even coat covering the entire piece of tinfoil
- lay the pieces of eggplant on the pan
- with a wash brush, lightly coat the eggplant with a thin layer of raw egg previously beaten together including the yolk
- sprinkle about 1 cup of breadcrumbs amongst the top of the pan covering all pieces of eggplant
Set the oven on 350 degrees and let the eggplant cook for about ten minutes. When they change slightly in color to a bit darker green and the breadcrumbs look toasty, remove the pan from the oven.
- cover the eggplant with the tomatoes making sure each slice has tomato on it
- slice the mozzarella cheese into enough slices to have one slice on each piece of eggplant
- on top of each piece, put one teaspoon of pasta sauce
Put the tray back in the oven for about 7 minutes. When the cheese has melted over top of the eggplant and tomato, your dish is completed.
Pair this dish with a spinach salad for a side item with some balsamic vinegar & extra virgin olive oil!
Monday, February 6, 2012
BEFORE GETTING STARTED
Where To Shop For Food?!
- THE FRESH MARKET -
In 1982, Ray Berry and his wife, Beverly, opened a small store dedicated to providing quality foods in a friendly atmosphere. They have been open for more than twenty-five years. Their focus is on stellar customer service and the "specialty neighborhood grocer" feeling that the community customers have grown to love.
All of THE FRESH MARKET products are 100% fresh - they also offer some products non-antibiotic, free ranged, with availability of gluten free, whole wheat, no sugar, low fat, etc. locations of THE FRESH MARKET can be found on their WEBSITE.
Hello Hello!
I hope that I can help you - even a little bit - with some knowledge tips on
- working out
- eating right
- looking & feeling great!
I know it is NOT easy to get up and work out when your favorite TV shows are on ..
.. and I KNOW the pizza guy can be there in five minutes, so why cook?!
BUT >> I promise I will give you some ideas on what to do for a quick breakfast, lunch, and dinner
I will guide you on how to get your BUTT in shape!!
Stay tuned every week for some great ideas
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