Food As Fuel

Cars don't use gasoline because it tastes good, it's a special event, or because they're bored. Gasoline is fuel.

Likewise, food, generally speaking, should be used as fuel. That's what it was created for. And it's almost universally true that if people are gaining weight from eating, it's because they have been using food for the wrong reason, such as:

-Treats for "special" events
-Comfort
-Boredom cure
-Craving satisfaction
-Because they "deserve" it after a hard day, accomplishment, etc.

Many people are going to want to argue this point, and say, of course someone deserves a treat when it's their birthday or some other special event. But the problem is that every event has become food worthy, and the exciting, good, bad, blah, boring, whatever day should not be an excuse to eat whatever, whenever. So enjoy the occasional treat, but remember, it should be just that: Occasional. A treat. Something unusual. Your body will thank you :)
To learn more about my program that makes this adjustment easy, visit www.BadgerWeightLoss.com.

Neglect

Having balance is hard, but I know it is possible. Right now, though, balance means focusing on figuring out how to be a mom of two children. I'm not that great at multitasking. We're healthy, happy, and figuring out life together though, and I'm getting back into the swing of things. Soon I will start making more regular posts!

Quinoa

Quinoa is all the rage these days--but for good reason! It's a whole grain that has the most complete protein of any grain and it's low glycemic, which makes it a great option for your grain serving on your dinner plate.

However, I kept feeling like all the quinoa recipes I made were pretty similar...black beans, bell peppers, etc. etc. I continued my search, though, and have found a couple that were pretty original and I really enjoyed. Baby Badger has yet to acquire a taste for this grain, so the most he's eaten of these is a couple bites, but we celebrate every bite :) Daddy Badger doesn't always like quinoa, but he DID enjoy these two dishes.

I will just link to the original sites. I always just try to make the best of what I have in the kitchen, so I've made changes when I've cooked these, noted that below each link. Try them, I think you'll like them!

Quinoa Salad with Grapefruit, Avocado and Arugula
Notes: Watch your serving size on this. Quinoa is not a low-calorie food: it has lots of naturally-occurring, albeit good for you fats, as do avocados. Also, I have made this without the mint, without the arugula (on a bed of spring greens instead, or spinach, although the strong arugula flavor is a nice touch), and I've never added the Serrano pepper because I am the only one in my home who would be able to handle that! It's fairly flexible, though it wouldn't be the same without the grapefruit, for sure.

Crispy Quinoa Cakes
Notes: I used whole wheat flour, I didn't have wine vinegar so I used cider vinegar, I have an aversion to buying frozen spinach so I used fresh that I chopped up very fine, and I didn't use cheese or chopped nuts. I also did not make the roasted red pepper sauce that is suggested, though it sounds yummy so maybe I'll try to do it next time.

New Year's Resolution

It's nearing the end of January, so I've been reviewing how I've done so far with my resolution. Resolutions stress me out. Of course, I think that's the point. A little bit of stress is ok. It motivates us to action and helps us set goals and achieve them.

I have a tendency, however, to OVER stress.

So to keep the stress levels down, I resolved to only make one resolution this year. I am praying that it will touch many aspects of my life and help me improve as a person and help me in my quest to achieve health: physical, mental (spiritual) and financial. My resolution is to live with more integrity. How will this help me in these areas?

Physical: I am a health coach. I help people make healthy changes in their lives. I read health articles, magazines, blog posts, books, etc. I have scriptural guidance about principles of physical health. I watch documentaries and news stories about health. My husband works in health care. I think it is safe to say that I'm fairly aware of what I need to do to be physically healthy.

Wikipedia defines integrity as "a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes." Knowing what I do, I need to develop that consistency and act in a way that reflects what I know.

So when I walk into the kitchen, keeping integrity in mind, I will make better food choices. When I am not so pregnant, integrity will help encourage me to increase my physical activity. Integrity can help me find my way to bed earlier because I know the benefits of getting enough sleep.

Mental and spiritual: I could go on and on about how integrity will help me in this aspect, but here's a link to an article that does a much better job explaining it than I can.

Financial: Mainly I need to be more wise with my finances. I need to do more to understand my finances, and then use that knowledge to make good choices. I leave too much up to Eric; I don't even know how much is in my account half the time. I have really good intentions, but I know I don't stick to my budget the way I should and I need to be CONSISTENT and not let whims dictate my spending.

Also, as a health coach, I can use the knowledge available to me through my amazing program to grow my business and bless my family financially by helping others--what a great industry to work in.

Well, kudos to you for sticking in there for my long-winded post. If you or someone you know has a resolution to get healthier this year, I would love to help! Click here to learn more.

Veggie dishes

I have two to share tonight, one the baby Badger LOVED, the other he shunned. But the adults in the room enjoyed both, so they'll stay in the rotation! Veggie burgers (the big hit) and veggie shepherd's pie.

Veggie Burgers

1 can black beans
1 14.5 oz can tomatoes with diced chiles (I did mild)
1 garlic clove minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
1 tsp onion powder
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped (didn't have so we skipped this, but I'm sure it would be good)
1 cup cilantro or parsley, chopped
2 cups rolled oats

Preheat oven to 400 deg. Process first 7 ingredients until blended, add to oats (mine seemed really soupy at first, so I let it sit for a few minutes and the oats absorbed a lot of the liquid). Form into patties (I got about 8 out of this). Put on a baking sheet and bake 8 minutes. Then you have options:

-Turn oven up and broil 2 minutes until browned
-Cook in frying pan with a tiny bit of oil, about a minute on each side
-Use counter top grill and grill until score marks appear (this is what we did)

Because there were oats, I didn't feel like putting these on a bun, so we ate them bun-less, dipped in a tiny bit of bbq sauce. We all enjoyed them this way. If you can't live without the bun, these are a really good, meaty texture that would masquerade well as a regular burger.

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

5 small red potatoes
1 clove garlic
1 onion diced
1 stick celery, chopped
1 leek, chopped and washed thoroughly
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 can of beans, drained
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or regular)
1/4 c grated low-fat cheese

Cook potatoes until soft.
Saute veggies in a little bit of olive oil for 10 min
Mash the potatoes with the milk and cheese

In a 9x9 baking dish, put veggies on bottom, top with mashed potatoes. Bake at 350 for 20 min.

This is adapted from a recipe I found on allrecipes; the biggest change I made was that I halved the amount of potato to balance our plate a little. I don't feel like the dish suffered from it, and the veggies were allowed to play a main role.

Worrying about the holidays?

For a lot of people, they think of food when they think of the holidays. The scents, sensations and tastes of rich holiday food are probably washing over you right as you read this. This year, I hope that my new health-focused approach to life will help me remember what wonderful things I'm forgetting if I just think about food:

Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for our plentiful conditions. Did you know that at one time some Americans actually FASTED to celebrate Thanksgiving? What a thought! I am grateful for my God, my family, and a wonderful job that lets me help people find health and happiness.

Christmas is another time for reflection and gratitude. Celebrating Christ's birth, spending time with those I love, and stepping away from life for a little while are the most wonderful things about this holiday for me. What does a sugar cookie have on that? (I'll give you a hint: NOTHING!)

I am so glad I have this time of year to remember what's important to me. And, by the way, many people on my program actually LOSE weight during the holidays! My mom started right as the holidays went into full swing and she did amazing. So if you want to refocus with me AND start your journey to optimal health, CLICK HERE to learn more!

Last Year

About a year ago I made a phone call that would transform my family forever. I called my friend about this health program she kept posting about on facebook, blogging about, shouting about from the rooftops. I thought it would be a good fit for my mom. Well, it was a great fit, and I learned all I could about what made it different.

Not long after, I signed on as a health coach for the same program. My family, immediate and extended, weighs less, which is awesome, but more than that, we are HEALTHIER and HAPPIER. I remember taking a health assessment when I started my journey to optimal health. My results were...not exactly what I expected. After all, I've always been thin. Doesn't that equate health?

Not exactly. And that's why I'm so glad I found this program when I did. I have a healthier, brighter future ahead of me, and so does my family.

Curious what your score would be? Check out this health quiz. And visit my website, www.BadgerWeightLoss.com to learn how you can find optimal health in your life!