Quinoa Spring Pilaf

Fresh, raw Spring veggies are tossed with rainbow quinoa for this quick and tangy 

citrus infused pilaf.  

It's beautiful and breezy here in Phoenix and totally tank top and flip flop weather!  Hooray!  Time to get a plan in action to take advantage of every minute of this 80 degree weather in the Valley of the Sun before triple digit scorching weather is here and it's our turn to be locked up inside.  Instead of being freezed in, we will be rubbing ice cubes on our necks, faces pressed close to a rotating fan.






Step 1. Get a pedicure and buy three new pairs of cute flip flops and two new pairs of sexy sandals (yes there's a difference).

Step 2. Purchase a new pair of Rock Star shades and sit by the pool to put some color back on your fish belly white arms and legs!

Step 3. Attend as many Spring training baseball games as possible while sporting your new semi-tanned bod.

{note to self: try not to gain 5 lbs this year eating Brats and drinking beer at aforementioned baseball games}

Step 4. Start making fresh, raw whenever possible meals using all of your favorite Spring veggies that are back in season!

Step 5. Try not to cry when swim suit shopping this year. We are going to eat healthier, exercise more and be even sexier bitches than we are right now!

Step 6. Go hiking every day before it reaches 115 degrees, lift weights, feel awesome!

I will in all honesty be eating this salad several times a week. I'm not one for eating the same thing over and over seeing as that I love trying new foods in new combinations but this one, this one's a keeper! Nothing beats simple + healthy + delicious.

recipe adapted from alexandra cooks

TIME    20 MINUTES        SERVES    4

Ingredients 

1 cup rainbow quinoa

1 cup **fresh fava beans (if not in season use frozen lima beans)

1 cup walnuts, chopped

4 to 5 scallions or spring onions, rinsed, trimmed and finely sliced

8 to 10 radishes, thinly sliced

kosher salt and pepper to taste

2 lemons, juiced

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (or walnut oil)

Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine-meshed sieve and rinse thoroughly  under cold water to remove the naturally "soapy film".  Add quinoa and fresh fava beans, lower heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes until water is just absorbed. Remove from heat. Place in a large bowl to cool.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the walnuts, scallions, radishes, olive oil and lemon juice to the bowl. Toss to combine. If you prefer it a bit tangier like I do, add a tablespoon of champagne vinegar or more lemon.

**I personally do not eat soy beans because they are a GMO (genetically modified organism) which some studies  have shown to cause several health risks and complications, for me personally, they caused me to have pre-menopausal symptoms. Since genetic engineering means modifications of genes, and genes are the blueprint for making proteins, GE foods tend to make proteins not naturally found in their chemical structure. Many adverse reactions to food involve immune system response to proteins, and it would be logical to expect more of these adverse reactions in the case of GE foods.

sources

World's Healthiest Foods

YOU CAN DO IT, BUT WILL YOU?

What our health and happiness come down are choices.  I make a choice each day to eat healthy, exercise, and respond to life the best way I can as a Christian woman.  I am not perfect, do not claim to be, and my goals in life are about progress and never the “P” for perfection word.  I struggle with things just like you do, have had my share of crap in this journey of life, emotionally and physically, and I have come out the other side learning and growing in a positive direction.

I will always be a work in progress, and we are all that in this life.  I enjoy writing which is why I Blog and what better way to provide motivation than to share me with you.  You will either like me or not, and that is a choice as well.  Reading my Blog gives you a small glimpse of me, although I try to be thorough, it is not the same as developing a close “friend” relationship chatting up a topic of conversation.  As an internet personality, I have had and do get my share of “haters” as the net likes to call them, but also a great number of supporters, but through this process, my goal and intention is to reach out and get people thinking about their health, making CHOICES to change and adapt healthier ways of living, and ultimately a healthy lifestyle. 

I am a trainer and coach who is passionate about helping people, and I do walk the talk of my mission.  I do not accept excuses or reasons why health is not made a priority and that is not called being unreasonable, it is being truthful.  I am not talking about reasons such as an upcoming surgery, injury, or illness that has unfortunately put a person in a position of inability to exercise.  I have suffered that journey and understand the frustrations, and emotions of dealing with such a crisis.  I am addressing the everyday person walking around with so much created busyness that they “think” that they just can’t fit in an hour of exercise at least 3 days per week, or prepare healthy meals. 

YOU CAN DO IT….BUT WILL YOU?  That is the question of the Blog and each of us has a conscience controlled decision to make when it comes to taking care of our health in all aspects.  We choose to exercise, eat healthy, be happy, and let go of pointless drama that is out of our control.  We choose how we spend the precious minutes gifted to each of us daily, and how we respond to the situations of this life.  I motivate YOU with “YOU CAN DO IT” because you can, and this coming from one busy business woman, wife, mother, grandmother, who is basically fifty and experiencing the throws of menopausal symptoms and existing injuries.  There are times that I feel like I can’t do it, and that is the honest truth.  It is in those moments, that I have to dig deep inside me and pull out the strong, and hope that the motivation kicks in mid workout.  YES, I am just like you, but the choice of “WILL YOU” is always mine and yours. 

This is not about comparison of me to you, but a straight up calling you out on the carpet and asking “WILL YOU start a healthy lifestyle?” and if not, WHY?  I will tell you that YOU CAN DO IT, but it will take the action of YOU to make it happen.  If you feel this is coming on strong, then I have accomplished a goal of getting you to think, maybe even creating some feelings that have been stuffed inside yourself too long and it is time to cleanse that body emotionally and physically.  Are you angry, bitter, frustrated, unhappy, and using the “too busy” title or other reasons to not address those things.  If that is the case, time for some internal cleaning of house, and time to get healthy.  YOU CAN DO IT…BUT WILL YOU?

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding!

Stay Healthy!

Darla

Guacamole Chicken Pitas with Almonds and Dried Apricots

Imagine this. You live in one of the most picturesque,  climate friendly, supreme outdoor frolicking places to live. Ever.  Now, imagine you have crazy annoying, ridiculous allergies. To everything pollen, grass and nature related and to dogs and to watermelon. Congratulations, you are now me in a nut suit. I  love  nature. I love dogs and oh, by the way, I love watermelon. Karma confuse me?

I have spent a small fortune on allergy medicine in my life and 90% of it has been in the last 3 months! What gives?!@  Spring in the Valley of the Sun is Heaven on Earth and I am plundering around sneezing, blowing my nose and puffy faced while trying to take in deep breaths of the fragrant orange blossoms I so love. Not attractive, nor fair.

So I thought it would be a great idea to make a picnic lunch to take to the boys Cub Scout Spring Camp this week. I put aside the fact that my allergies to pretty much everything outdoors would make me miserable and quite possibly go into anapylactic shock I but also chose, once again to ignore the fact that I'm slightly allergic to avocados. What cruel world do I live in?!  Avocados! Really?!



So, naturally I made Guacamole Chicken Pitas.


I'm building up a tolerance.


It could totally work.............

maybe.

Simple, fresh ingredients you can throw together for lunch or a picnic.

Freshly grated carrots naturally sweeten the mixture and balance out the tang of the sugar free yogurt.

Guacamole Chicken Pitas with Dried Apricots

SERVES    6         TIME    10 MINUTES

Ingredients

1/2 of a Whole Roasted Chicken

2 stalks celery, diced

1/2 cup dried apricots (or raisons), chopped

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

1 whole carrot, grated

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup cilantro (or parsley) chopped

1 cup fat free, plain yogurt

1 whole avocado

1 lemon, juiced

pinch of salt

dash of pepper

 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

cayenne pepper if you please

6 Pita pockets.

Chop chicken, throw into medium sized bowl. Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine. Spoon into pita pockets. Enjoy!

Serve with fresh fruit!

REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

My last post dealt with my struggle through illness, and I must confess that at three weeks out, I am still dealing with residual upper respiratory issues and decreased energy.  My body definitely dictated my abilities and limitations and there was no way I was going to be able to return to high intensity workouts and my favorite HIIT routines have been taking a back seat for the moment.  This is all part of “realistic expectations” and although I may want something right now, it just is not going to happen.  Sadly, there is no such thing as here today and gone tomorrow, and patience is very important on our journey to health and fitness. I will share that it is frustrating though and it is OK to feel like that.  I am happy to be feeling better, working with my fabulous clients, and able to be social with family and friends.

My “Realistic Workouts” post illness started with no more than a six minute warm up, and basic large muscle movements like squats, lunges, pull-ups, light chest press, and core approximately ten reps and two sets for a total of thirty minutes.  Believe me, that was taxing enough and I was ready to stretch.  Today was my first twenty minute ARC trainer warm up and it felt pretty good, but I can still feel the lag on the energy.  It is so important to pay attention to what the body is saying, and it will scream when I have had enough. 

Realistic expectations involve creating plans that are reasonable, and obtainable.  Going into something with the wrong mindset, and with the expectation of achieving a goal that is impossible will cause feelings of discouragement, and often times the “give-up” decision is made before seeing any positive progress.  All effort toward weight loss and muscle gain is progress and it does not matter how long it takes, as long as the work is consistent and dedication to the program becomes a lifestyle.  Results happen when perseverance is put into place and healthy eating and consistent exercise is a lifestyle.  There is no magic pill that is going to create this lifestyle, but it is a wanting to be “REAL” about what it will take to obtain a healthy body and being patient through the process. We all want things to happen quicker than they do whether that be to look and feel healthier, have a better job, more money, new car or things, but the key is PATIENCE and REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS. 

Rushing into a seemingly healthier body using unhealthy means, making a quick job decision that does not feel good, or grabbing that credit card to satisfy the “things” itch are all unhealthy ways of obtaining our wants without patience, and not being “realistic” or healthy with our choices overall.  Unhealthy choices like these are the cause of “yo-yo” diet frustration and gaining back even more weight, create an unhappy personal and job life, and open the door to credit card debt that leaves a person stressed to the financial max.  I have this saying that goes “Nothing Good Happens Fast” as it relates to these topics, and it really can be applied to many things in life.  Taking care of ourselves is about a healthy lifestyle, and the choices we make each day that keep us progressing in a healthy direction.  We all have the ability to get healthy and become our BEST self at any age, and any circumstance.  It is keeping our “Realistic Expectations” front and center in our life to make that happen. 

Gearing up for my fabulous fifty in May!

Thanks for stopping by my Blog, hope you enjoy the content, and if you have not become a follower yet, I would love to see your face on my friend's list.  If you are inspired, LIKE my entry, leave a comment and I look forward to responding!

Stay Healthy!

Darla

Tex Mex Chicken and Rice with Bacon

Living in a house with picky eaters is really cramping my style.

My oldest son, who is now 19 (yeah, I'm old) loved spicy foods even when he was in diapers! I'll never forget the time we took a day trip up to Flagstaff, Az. when he was 6 years old and the pressure from his stuffy nose/sinuses got the better of him from the quick rise in elevation. My tough little guy was holding back sobs in pain. We pulled over in some little town in between Phoenix and Flagstaff and found a small, rickety Mexican Food joint {the best ones always are}. We sat on the small patio on fold out chairs and planned to order something quick while Britton had a chance to hopefully 'decompress'.

 The waiter/owner couldn't help but notice Britton, then a handsome young boy holding his head in pain (yes we had already tried a decongestant). He say's with a snap of his fingers

"I have just the thing for you mi amigo!"

A moment later, he was back with a very small, carefully held bowl of dark red, thin salsa (picante). Warily, yet somehow smugly, he placed it in front of my then 6 year old son. "This will solve your problem right away, but slowly o.k.!? 

Jim and I exchanged quick, nervous glances while my son, without hesitation, dove right in with a tortilla chip and shoveled a huge scoop of the liquid fire directly into his little mouth. His face just noticeably flinched in pain. He quickly gained his composure and while his eyes still wide in surprise, wiped his now runny nose and went back in for more. 

It couldn't be all that hot then right? My husband and I who are both Natives to Arizona (me by default) are not only used to spicy foods but require it in Mexican food and beyond. We both took a generous taste from the small bowl and immediately we were both teary eyed and gasping for air. That is some serious salsa!

To which the just returned waiter replies, "Well, I don't just put this out for anyone!"  My son, then requested a second bowl. My son.

My younger children on the other hand can't handle the ittiest bit of spice or most flavors other than cheese for that matter. This has created a serious cramp in my cooking style I tell you.
Seriously, serious.

How am I supposed to make Mexican food, a favorite cuisine of ours without loads of spiciness in it?

How am I supposed to make a Tex Mex Chicken Arroz without it having a kick to it?!!!

Initiation on! Someones gotta toughen up these kids. ;)

Oh, did I mention the best part about this meal (besides the stuffing into your face part?) It's a ONE POT meal my friends! Awww yeah!

Ingredients

4-6 boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of most of the fat

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup light beer such as Dos Equis Amber (or more broth or water)

1/2 cup of your favorite salsa (I love Safeway's brand, restaurant style Fire Roasted Salsa)

2 cups long grain rice

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 small yellow onion

1 medium red bell pepper

1 can black beans, thoroughly rinsed and drained

1 can sweet kernel corn, drained

1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled

Avocado and cilantro for garnish

Using  ye old  spatula-tong method, cook bacon in a large, Dutch oven in batches so as not to over crowd. Remove and let drain on paper towels carefully draining the grease into an old can between each batch. Set aside for later. 

In a small food processor, finely chop onion and bell pepper. 

Reserve a tablespoon of the bacon fat and leave it in pan. Add chicken thighs and cook 2-3 minutes on each side to brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Add onion and peppers to the pan and stir. Cook 5 minutes till translucent, stirring only once or twice.  

This is my favorite part, pour either the beer or about 1/2 cup of the broth into the pan while scraping of the browned bits with a spatula (don't use a metal one on a Dutch oven).  Now, add the tomato paste and using a slotted spatula stir it around the pot to combine it with veggies.  

Add the remaining chicken broth, salsa, rice and chicken thighs to the pot. Stirring to combine. Cook over medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes stirring occasionally. Add beans and corn, stir. Cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce heat to low. Cook undisturbed for 20 minutes. Remove from heat let sit for 10-15 minutes if possible. 

Remove lid, fluff with a fork. 

Serve piping hot on plates with crumbled bacon on top. Garnish with avocado slices and cilantro. Serve with an ice cold beer. 

I entered this recipe into the Foodie Blogroll contest: 1,2,3 Cook and Snap on Facebook and it would make my day if you voted for me!!!

Roasted Cauliflower Florets with Sweet Curried Quinoa

Can we just talk for a minute about how hard it is to motivate myself to get anything at all done right now? Honestly, all I want to do is be outside and soak up the warm, perfect Arizona sun in all of its perfect glory. I realize most of the Country is struggling through a nasty winter at the moment and I'm sorry to rub it in your face, I don't mean to. I'm more than grateful for the gorgeous weather we have here in Phoenix and I mean to take advantage of  every single second of the sun basking, pool side lounging, Chardonnay sipping Spring we have been blessed with. Feel free to come visit us anytime (except June-August which pretty much sucks and it's your turn for bragging).


We've been either eating out (on patios of course), ordering in or making super simple, throw together lunches and dinners so as not to waste any time stuffed up indoors. I've come to terms with my laziness and in fact prefer to call it embracing and enjoying the present. Perspective people.

Make this when you are craving something simple, sweet and savory all at the same time. Don't forget the raisins, Yum! The end. 

recipe source  Cookie and Kate

SERVES     4        PREP TIME    10        COOK TIME    30

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or olive oil

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

pinch sea salt

Curried Quinoa and Greens

2 teaspoons melted coconut oil or olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

½ teaspoon curry powder of choice (optional)

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk

½ cup water

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well in a fine mesh colander

⅓ cup raisins

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

4 cups baby spinach, baby kale, chard or arugula

 red pepper flakes to taste

Roast the cauliflower: 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the cauliflower florets with oil, cayenne p and a light sprinkle of sea salt. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes on the middle rack, turning halfway, until the cauliflower is tender and golden on the edges.

Cook the quinoa:

In a large pot warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, stirring frequently, 3- 5 minutes. Add the ginger, turmeric, curry powder and cardamom and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the coconut milk, water, rinsed quinoa and raisins. Bring the mixture to a soft boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove the pot from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Stir in the salt, vinegar and greens. Spoon quinoa into bowls over roasted cauliflower. Add red pepper flakes to your taste.

Simple Drunken Shrimp Linguine {Wine Pairings and Oil tips}

An insanely simple plate of drunken shrimp pasta is in order if you are feeling like you can't take one more second of the cold. I implore you to throw this pasta together and brighten your mood altogether.
Shrimp is one of my favorite, decadent treats yet it couldn't be easier to prepare. Literally minutes.

Fresh, raw shrimp is best but if you buy frozen shrimp, choose tail off, deveined large shrimp and make sure you remember to defrost them in the fridge for 24 hours before you cook them then pat them dry before sautéing. The frost on the shrimp won't allow them to cook properly, steaming them instead of sautéing.


Linguine noodles soaked up the extra drunken tomato sauce and was slurp worthy. Not to worry, cooking the sauce makes this dish alcohol free but the taste one step above ordinary! I threw some finely chopped carrots into my sauce to sweeten it up a bit and balance out the boldness from the infused tomato sauce and the spiciness from the red chili flakes. Garlic of course was added in generous amounts rounding out this bold and hearty pasta.



Wine Pairings

Even though this sauce has bold flavors, if you are pairing with a wine, choose  either a light red such as a Pino Noir or Chianti. If your sauce is on the spicier side, stick with a Spanish or California Rose to avoid a metallic aftertaste you'll get from red wines or choose a white wine with light, balanced fruit notes such as a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc which will really bring out the mild flavors of the shrimp.

Ingredients

1 10 oz package Linguine noodles, cooked according to package directions, al dente
1 lb. large, raw tail off shrimp - deveined
1, 32 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, un-drained
1/4 cup good quality gold tequila {or red wine} broth or juice from tomatoes may be used 
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
6 cloves thinly sliced garlic
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon med-high smoke point oil: grape seed, palm oil, safflower, or avocado oil
1 tablespoon real butter
generous pinch of salt
red pepper flakes to taste



Have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go!

While pasta water is being brought to a boil, heat a large wok over medium-high heat. Add oil and butter, let it get fairly hot but do not burn butter. Add dried shrimp and carefully and quickly toss to coat. Let shrimp sit for 2 minutes, flip again to toss and let sit for 1-2 more minutes till pink.

Add carrots, shallot and garlic to skillet, sprinkle with salt toss to combine. Cook 1 minute stirring so as not to burn shallot and garlic. Pour in tequila or other liquid you are using to deglaze the wok using a large, flat spoon to scrape brown bits of bottom of wok. Turn down heat to medium-low. Let sit for 2-3 minutes while liquid cooks down. Add tomatoes, stir to combine. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes till just warmed through. Remove from heat. Spoon over drained pasta.

notes:

Adding salt to the carrots and shallots at the beginning of sautéing will soften them and bring out their natural flavors adding to the sauce.