I have a small to moderately-sized obsession with chicken Pad Thai. One time, I ordered it from Noodles and Company and they gave me shrimp and I cried. I think it was also during finals in midwifery school, so trust me, that was a normal emotional response.
Anyways, I try to follow a low(er) carb diet. I am fine with gluten and all that, but I have found that eating lots of carbs (like pastas or bread) makes me tired and sluggish. I still eat fruit, I still eat whole-grain, sprouted toast (Ezekial bread 4 lyfe), but overall, I try to minimize carbz. So, a sad absence from my beloved Pad Thai was noted.
UNTIL I FOUND THIS RECIPE!!!!!! Zoooooooodles are my new fave. I've had a spiralizer for a year or so and never used it. Well, I finally did and I'm so happy, but be careful because that sucker is SHARP. This zoodle Pad Thai is SO good and full of flavor that I don't even miss the noodles. Note that it doesn't have bean sprouts or egg, which are pretty traditional in Pad Thai. So, maybe this isn't technically Pad Thai. I'm not an expert, homies, I just like good food.
Healthy Thai Peanut Chicken and Zucchini Noodles
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
4 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 lime, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium! I used 1 tbsp of coconut aminos and 1 of low sodium soy sauce)
¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons of canola oil (I used EVOO here and it was just fine)
2 cups chicken breast, cooked and shredded
3 zucchini, spiral sliced
2 large carrots, spiral sliced
1 red pepper, spiral sliced
⅓ cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ cup of green onions, diced
chopped unsalted roasted peanuts and lime wedges, optional as a garnish
What to Do:
1. Add the garlic, ginger, peanut butter, lime juice and zest, soy sauce and red pepper flakes to a small bowl and mix together.
2. To a large frying pan, add your oil on high heat.
3. Add the zucchini, carrots and bell peppers to the pan and cook until just wilted, 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add in the chicken, sauce, cilantro and green onions and toss together until all warmed through.
5. Garnish with sesame seeds and wedges of lime if desired.
*According to the recipe, it serves 6. I think 4 and that's with relatively small portions, but maybe this lady isn't as hungry as me? Idk. Also, I'm gonna try this with powdered PB next time to cut down on some of the fat, but seriously, this is signif better for you than takeout. Eat it, love it, don't cry when your takeout order is wrong.
<3
S
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Thursday, December 15, 2016
#RealTalk
I have a little time off before I start my new job, so I took the morning off today from studying/paper-writing/discussion-board-stalking to have a cup of coffee and watch something on Netflix. I watch a lot of cooking competition shows (I promise no one shouts at the screen like I do when I watch "Chopped"), so a lot of my recommended programs are food-based. The documentary "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" came up. I've heard about it in the past and thought "Eh, why not?"
It follows the journey of one man who uses juicing to change his life and essentially cure himself of a rare autoimmune disorder he had previously been taking steroids to control. He juices for 60 days, traveling across America and meeting real people and talking about people's relationship with food in this country. He meets a truck driver in Arizona named Phil who later reaches out to him for help. Phil juices, adopts a new lifestyle, and loses a lot of weight. Phil had some ups and downs after the film came out, which you can read about right here.
That article made me cry in my kitchen as I diced some butternut squash. Big tears so, no worries, I put down the large chef knife because I like my hands the way they are. No, I'm not a 400lb man who drives trucks, but what he said resonated so deeply with me that I have to get this out. If you don't want to read some #deeptalk, no worries. I'll post some yum recipes later this week when I'm avoiding homework again. If you want to get real, read on.
Some of you know this, most of you don't, but I have struggled with an unhealthy relationship with food for as long as I can remember. I have no exact reasoning behind it. I grew up with the MOST AMAZING family with a mom who always made dinner for us. No, it wasn't salad every night, but her meals were nutritious and so good. The thing is, I got chubby and then overweight, and then (according to BMIs) obese. It could be a slow metabolism, maybe a thyroid thing, but I've never gotten bloodwork done about it, so I'm not sure. I grew up playing softball, tennis, lacrosse, and I swam. I was never an amazing athlete, but I wasn't awful. All I know is that I never looked like my friends, the majority of whom were tall and thin. I don't remember a time where I felt comfortable in shorts or a swimsuit. In high school, I distinctly remember a guy tell me in the cafeteria that I should "go take some diet pills or something". I was 16 years old.
When I got to college, it didn't get better. I went to a school known for having beautiful, skinny girls with credit cards with no limits. I will never, ever regret the time I spent there (I still consider it home), but I became a product of my environment. I was obsessed with how I looked, what I wore, etc. I'd eat healthy (healthy-ish) in front of my friends, then I would drive to a suburb about 30 minutes from campus and binge-eat Zaxby's because for some reason, it made me feel better.
After I moved to Houston, my weight continued to increase. I ate whatever, I worked out rarely. Every now and then, I'd start some crazy diet, lose a few lbs and then get back into my old habits. I put up with a lot of really bad relationships because I was grateful that somebody wanted to date me when I barely wanted to look in the mirror. This past January, I decided I was tired of feeling that way. I was tired of feeling tired and sluggish. I was tired of my stomach always hurting. I was tired of getting migraines. I was tired of going shopping and never wanting to try stuff on because I didn't think it'd fit and I was embarrassed to ask for a bigger size. So, I did something about it.
I'm not going to tell you it was, or is, easy. That I wake up every day and juice some kale and smile like some weird commercial. Or that I put my shoes on every morning, ready for my workout. That's not true. It's hard. I have worked my butt off to get my Masters and I'm working on my Doctorate and it a'int easy...but this, this daily battle I have found myself in, is the hardest work I've ever done. There are days that I don't win. There are days when I drive up to the Zaxby's in Cypress, eat this massive meal, and cry the entire way home. There are days when I eat to the point of getting physically ill and then I feel better, as if pushing my body so far that I get sick means the calories are simply erased. But, more often than not, there are days where I scramble up some egg whites with arugula and drink coffee on my balcony. There are days where I do a quick, 30-minute workout (see my last post!!!) and then even have some time to go to my favorite kickboxing class at the gym. There are days when my wonderful, sweet boyfriend makes me Chicken Tikka Masala and gets whole-wheat naan because he knows how important this is to me. It's funny because those are the days that I feel the happiest. Those are the days that I sleep better. Those are the days that I am a better nurse, better friend, better sister, better girlfriend, better daughter. Taking care of myself lets me take care of the people (and patients!!) that I love.
So, if you are reading this and think no one else knows what it feels like to feel fat, looked down on, weak, sad, tired, frustrated, defeated, or depressed, you're wrong. I've been there and sometimes I still am there. Every day, you have opportunity to treat your body well. Make small changes, then make bigger ones. No one else is going to do this for you. You owe it yourself to feel happy and beautiful <3
Happy Holidays
S
It follows the journey of one man who uses juicing to change his life and essentially cure himself of a rare autoimmune disorder he had previously been taking steroids to control. He juices for 60 days, traveling across America and meeting real people and talking about people's relationship with food in this country. He meets a truck driver in Arizona named Phil who later reaches out to him for help. Phil juices, adopts a new lifestyle, and loses a lot of weight. Phil had some ups and downs after the film came out, which you can read about right here.
That article made me cry in my kitchen as I diced some butternut squash. Big tears so, no worries, I put down the large chef knife because I like my hands the way they are. No, I'm not a 400lb man who drives trucks, but what he said resonated so deeply with me that I have to get this out. If you don't want to read some #deeptalk, no worries. I'll post some yum recipes later this week when I'm avoiding homework again. If you want to get real, read on.
Some of you know this, most of you don't, but I have struggled with an unhealthy relationship with food for as long as I can remember. I have no exact reasoning behind it. I grew up with the MOST AMAZING family with a mom who always made dinner for us. No, it wasn't salad every night, but her meals were nutritious and so good. The thing is, I got chubby and then overweight, and then (according to BMIs) obese. It could be a slow metabolism, maybe a thyroid thing, but I've never gotten bloodwork done about it, so I'm not sure. I grew up playing softball, tennis, lacrosse, and I swam. I was never an amazing athlete, but I wasn't awful. All I know is that I never looked like my friends, the majority of whom were tall and thin. I don't remember a time where I felt comfortable in shorts or a swimsuit. In high school, I distinctly remember a guy tell me in the cafeteria that I should "go take some diet pills or something". I was 16 years old.
When I got to college, it didn't get better. I went to a school known for having beautiful, skinny girls with credit cards with no limits. I will never, ever regret the time I spent there (I still consider it home), but I became a product of my environment. I was obsessed with how I looked, what I wore, etc. I'd eat healthy (healthy-ish) in front of my friends, then I would drive to a suburb about 30 minutes from campus and binge-eat Zaxby's because for some reason, it made me feel better.
After I moved to Houston, my weight continued to increase. I ate whatever, I worked out rarely. Every now and then, I'd start some crazy diet, lose a few lbs and then get back into my old habits. I put up with a lot of really bad relationships because I was grateful that somebody wanted to date me when I barely wanted to look in the mirror. This past January, I decided I was tired of feeling that way. I was tired of feeling tired and sluggish. I was tired of my stomach always hurting. I was tired of getting migraines. I was tired of going shopping and never wanting to try stuff on because I didn't think it'd fit and I was embarrassed to ask for a bigger size. So, I did something about it.
I'm not going to tell you it was, or is, easy. That I wake up every day and juice some kale and smile like some weird commercial. Or that I put my shoes on every morning, ready for my workout. That's not true. It's hard. I have worked my butt off to get my Masters and I'm working on my Doctorate and it a'int easy...but this, this daily battle I have found myself in, is the hardest work I've ever done. There are days that I don't win. There are days when I drive up to the Zaxby's in Cypress, eat this massive meal, and cry the entire way home. There are days when I eat to the point of getting physically ill and then I feel better, as if pushing my body so far that I get sick means the calories are simply erased. But, more often than not, there are days where I scramble up some egg whites with arugula and drink coffee on my balcony. There are days where I do a quick, 30-minute workout (see my last post!!!) and then even have some time to go to my favorite kickboxing class at the gym. There are days when my wonderful, sweet boyfriend makes me Chicken Tikka Masala and gets whole-wheat naan because he knows how important this is to me. It's funny because those are the days that I feel the happiest. Those are the days that I sleep better. Those are the days that I am a better nurse, better friend, better sister, better girlfriend, better daughter. Taking care of myself lets me take care of the people (and patients!!) that I love.
So, if you are reading this and think no one else knows what it feels like to feel fat, looked down on, weak, sad, tired, frustrated, defeated, or depressed, you're wrong. I've been there and sometimes I still am there. Every day, you have opportunity to treat your body well. Make small changes, then make bigger ones. No one else is going to do this for you. You owe it yourself to feel happy and beautiful <3
Happy Holidays
S
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Allow Me to Re-Introduce Myself..
I'm the absolute worst at this consistent blogger thing. Between starting my doctoral program, working, and trying to maintain some level of fun-this blog kinda took a backseat. As did my eating healthy and working out on a regular basis. In mid-October, I was down 65 pounds from January! Starting December, I had gained about 15lbs of that back. I could blame school or work or the fact that I live in a town with some of the most amazing restaurants I've ever been to. But really, it's because I got a little lazy. I slipped back into some old habits and could feel my body getting sluggish and missing how good I had been to it earlier this year.
Enter my girl Autumn Calabrese. You may have heard of her, you may have not. She is a Beachbody celebrity trainer (and former EQX trainer....gotta keep it in the family!) who created 21 Day Fix. I credit her for about 80% of my success on this journey. When people ask me how I've lost the weight, 21 Day Fix is what I tell them. Yes, I did work out with an amazing trainer and still take group fitness classes along with Autumn's workouts, but I wholeheartedly believe, and she taught me this, you can't out-work out a bad diet. For me, what works is following the 21DF meal plan based on clean eating and a lot of really wonderful foods.
So, on Monday, I re-committed to this whole "be good to yourself" thing. I have about 40 more pounds to say goodbye to and needed a way to get there that I know works. Autumn started a challenge group to complete all 4 of her Beachbody programs (21DF, Chisel, 21DF Extreme, and Country Heat) all in a row. Every day for the next 3 and a half months, I'll carve out 30-40 minutes of my day to do the daily workout. I'll eat the meals that I plan and prep. I have spreadsheets and a new planner just for planning my food and workouts (I know, I'm weird). I have 28,000 (yup!!!!!) other people motivating me on Facebook as we go through this journey together. So, if you see me at work measuring out my food in these crazy, little containers or limping down the hallway because #LegDay, it's all good. I have found such happiness and confidence in building the best version of myself. There is nothing better than pushing yourself and seeing what you are capable of.
If you are reading this and you want to know more about 21 Day Fix or meal planning, please let me know. I'd love to help any way I can :)
Here are some dope recipes I've made this week:
21 DF Beef and Broccoli (I added half a red onion to this, left out a cup of peas, and no rice....it's so good)
21 DF Cheeseburger Skillet (This is AMAZING and SO easy...I added some diced bell peppers for more vegetables)
Bananas Foster Overnight Oats (My go-to workday breakfast....prep a few, keep them in the fridge, grab one and roll on out the door)
Sending you lots of love and thank you for all the support,
S
Enter my girl Autumn Calabrese. You may have heard of her, you may have not. She is a Beachbody celebrity trainer (and former EQX trainer....gotta keep it in the family!) who created 21 Day Fix. I credit her for about 80% of my success on this journey. When people ask me how I've lost the weight, 21 Day Fix is what I tell them. Yes, I did work out with an amazing trainer and still take group fitness classes along with Autumn's workouts, but I wholeheartedly believe, and she taught me this, you can't out-work out a bad diet. For me, what works is following the 21DF meal plan based on clean eating and a lot of really wonderful foods.
So, on Monday, I re-committed to this whole "be good to yourself" thing. I have about 40 more pounds to say goodbye to and needed a way to get there that I know works. Autumn started a challenge group to complete all 4 of her Beachbody programs (21DF, Chisel, 21DF Extreme, and Country Heat) all in a row. Every day for the next 3 and a half months, I'll carve out 30-40 minutes of my day to do the daily workout. I'll eat the meals that I plan and prep. I have spreadsheets and a new planner just for planning my food and workouts (I know, I'm weird). I have 28,000 (yup!!!!!) other people motivating me on Facebook as we go through this journey together. So, if you see me at work measuring out my food in these crazy, little containers or limping down the hallway because #LegDay, it's all good. I have found such happiness and confidence in building the best version of myself. There is nothing better than pushing yourself and seeing what you are capable of.
If you are reading this and you want to know more about 21 Day Fix or meal planning, please let me know. I'd love to help any way I can :)
Here are some dope recipes I've made this week:
21 DF Beef and Broccoli (I added half a red onion to this, left out a cup of peas, and no rice....it's so good)
21 DF Cheeseburger Skillet (This is AMAZING and SO easy...I added some diced bell peppers for more vegetables)
Bananas Foster Overnight Oats (My go-to workday breakfast....prep a few, keep them in the fridge, grab one and roll on out the door)
Sending you lots of love and thank you for all the support,
S
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