Monday, March 29, 2010

More than just pretty colors.... BERRIES!

Most berries are REALLY naturally sweet and require little preparation in order to get the EXTREMELY beneficial nutrients they provide...
So.... no excuses, it's too easy!!

1 cup of strawberries (53 calories) contains over 100mg of Vitamin C! That's about the same as a cup for orange juice (NOTE: we should all know by know that eating whole pieces of fruit is a MUCH MORE efficient way of getting the nutrients than drinking the juice...juice does not make you full but it has the same amount of calories and sugar that we do not want to have too much of)
Vitamin C is really great for your immune system and also for the strength of connective tissue in your body.

1 cup of blueberries also offers, a smaller amount, of vitamin C, minerals and phytochemicals for only 83 calories. There are soooo many antioxidants in blueberries, I keep them frozen in my fridge.

1 cup Cranberries (44cal)

1 cup raspberries has a lot of Vitamin C and potassium (64 cal)


MORE THAN JUST PRETTY COLORS
  • The pigments that give berries their blue or red hue are extremely nutritious and healthy for you!
  • Berries contain phytochemicals and flavnoids that may help prevent some cancer (plus!!)
  • Cranberries and blueberries can help with bladder infections
  • Blueberries and Raspberries also contain lutein, which is important for healthy vision!
  • The best place to find the freshest berries would be your local farmers market
HOW DO I SERVE BERRIES??
  • Top a bowl of berries with a dollop of light-whip topping w. sliced pecans and walnuts on top
  • Add slices of strawberries to a bowl of whole grain cereal
  • sprinkle blueberries on a salad
  • stir fresh raspberries into low-fat vanilla yogurt
  • combine frozen berries w. banana and skim milk for a smoothie!

Friday, March 26, 2010

2 great things I ripped out of a magazine! :p

I was looking through my new SELF magazine the other day, and I found some really great articles (2 in particular) that I wanted to share with you.

7 FOODS THAT FIGHT FAT
  • Eggs (78 cal Each): An egg's not only a nutritional powerhouse, it's also loaded with protein that satisfies. Eat two eggs for breakfast, they'll curb your appetite enough that you'll eat about 330 calories less than usual throughout the day.
  • Dark Chocolate (170 calories for 1 ounce): Just one more reason to indulge: nosh on dark chocolate and you'll eat less at your next meal, according to research from the University of Coppenhagen. Why? Compounds in chocolate slow down digestion and make you feel full longer. A small piece of chocolate (aim for the size of a business card or smaller) can also curb your cravings for salty, sweet, and fatty foods.
  • Pine Nuts (95 calories for 1/2 ounce, about 84 nuts): The heart-healthy fatty acids in pine nuts boost satiety hormones that make you feel full, according to Korean researchers. The same fatty acids also regulate belly fat!
  • Cheese (76 calories for 1 ounce): Go for fresh goat cheese or feta for a dose of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)-- it helps you feel full and burn more fat. Cheeses from grass-fed animals have the most CLA, so buy the ones labeled "grass-fed."
  • Skim Milk (86 calories for 1 cup): Most of us think of milk as kids' stuff, but it boasts grown-up benefits. Milk's protein (whey and casein) can make you feel more satisfied than sugary drinks (BOO!!! ELIMINATE SUGARY DRINKS TODAY) CLA in milk fights fat too.
  • Oranges (59 calories each): An orange is one of the most satisfying grabs from the fruit bowl-- thanks to all of the fiber. Oranges were the highest-ranked fruit on the "satiety index," a list of 38 filling foods put together by Australian researchers. And fiber fights fat: people who eat more fiber have less flab!!
  • Potatoes (161 calories each): High-carb spuds often get a bad rap, but they deserve to be the dieter's BFF (in moderation). Three times as filling as a slice of white bread (ew no more white bread). The resistant starch in potatoes helps your body burn fat too.
GREEK SALAD 3.0
Preparation: 20 mins; makes 4 servings

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon of honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 heads hearts of Romain, chopped (about 12 cups)
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 small yellow pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup kalamata olives
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (available in fat free** my fav)
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves (optional, I do not like mint)
2 whole wheat pitas, toasted and halved

1. Whisk together the first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil until well combined
2. Place romaine in a large serving bowl. Arrange garbanzo beans and next 6 ingredients (through feta) on top in sections. Sprinkle mint leaves over the salad. Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving, and toss. Serve with whole wheat pita halves
Calories: 278, Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Protein: 9g, Carbohydrate: 32g, Sugars: 11g, Fiber: 7g, Iron: 3mg, Sodium: 537 mg, Calcium: 163 mg

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

"Today a Reader, tomorrow a Leader" -Margaret Fuller









I absolutely LOVE to read...
I thought that I would share with you some of the most
inspirational, motivational, creative, rejuvenating
books I have ever read. Some are just books and others are interactive workbooks! I highly recommend reading all of these books. As for The Bible, I use a book called "TODAY" that my mom gets me from our church in Northern California. It has a message coupled with a scripture for each day. Any devotional bible will do.
Reading is SO important. You will gain knowledge that is impossible to learn in school. I have read all of these books (with exception of the bible) about 4-5 times over and over. Embedding the message in my head seems to keep me focused and on track in my life!



Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Hard work pays off!!!!




I got to spend time this weekend with my best friend in the entire world
Allie Marque
She has an amazing fashion blog
AllieMarque.tumblr.com

I have spent the entire semester busting my @$$ at the gym, as well as in school.
I deserved this break!!

Here is some of the clothes that she made and I feel so great in them!!!

:) One of the benefits of working out really hard is the ability to feel confident in what your are wearing...NO MATTER WHAT !!

Thank you Allie for the great outfit !!!


Friday, March 12, 2010

Vitamins

I was recently asked what kind of vitamins I take.
I have been taking Isotonix vitamins for about 2 years (more or less) and I really li
ke them a lot.
I ta
ke the


OP
C-3
-combats free radicals
-demonstrates anti-inflammatory activity
-helps maintain healthy chol
esterol levels
-helps maintain healthy circulation, by strengthening
capillaries, arteries and veins
-helps maintain joint flexibility
-helps promote cardio vascular health
-helps reduce menstrual cramping and abdominal pain
-helps support visual health, visual acuity
-potent free radical scavenger
-promotes healthy blood vessel dilation
-promotes healthy ni
tric oxide levels
-supports a healthy complexion
-supports healthy blood gluco
se levels

Multivitamin
-supports healthy immune system
-contains 100 percent of the recommended value of daily vitamins and minerals
-promotes conversion of food into energy
-supports healthy cardiovascular system
-promotes strong bones
-promotes skin health
- may promote mental clarit
y
- helps maintain normal blood pressure
-supports healthy thyroid
-promotes normal healing
-helps maintain normal meta
bolic functioning
-supplements defici
encies in diet

Advanced B Complex
-promotes red blood cell formation
-essential for many key functions in the body
-helps decrease stress and improve mood
-helps maintain healthy levels of serotonin
-increases energy
-involved in metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates
-meets requirements for a vegetarian diet
- nervous system, bone marrow and intestinal tract functioning
-promotes cardiovascular health
-supports normal cognitive performance


These vitamins come in a powder form and I take one cap full of each a day in the directed amount of water (it comes with its personal measuring cup). They really give me energy, and build my immune system so that I can stay healthy throughout my extremely active lifestyle.

You can find them on MarketAmerica.com keyword: Isotonix
There are a lot of different ones that you can choose from, I just chose these 3 because they best suit my needs for my lifestyle

:)

Hope this was helpful

Thursday, March 11, 2010

formspring.me

Ask me anything pertaining to my blog anonymously!! :) http://formspring.me/LundenMichelle

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

IN & OUT Burgers MY WAY!

I REALLY LOVE IN & OUT BURGER
BUT:
A. THERE ISN'T ONE CLOSE ENOUGH TO MY HO
USE
B. I AM TOO TEMPTED TO GET THE FRIES
C. I WOULD LIKE A HEALTHIER VERSION

SO I CREATED MY VERY OWN!!!




THESE ARE SOME OF THE INGREDIENTS PICTURED HERE AS WELL AS A COMPLETE LIST:
WHOLE WHEAT HAMBURGER BUNS
REDUCED-FAT PROVOLONE CHEESE (OR ANY OTHER RE
D-FAT CHEESE)
FAT- FREE THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING
93-95% (highest I have found) LEAN BEEF P
ATTIES

FIRST I GRILLED THE PATTIES ON THE STOVE WITH A FAT-FREE COOKING SPRAY


I PUT A LITTLE BIT OF PEPPER AND LIGHT SALT FOR SEASONING
...
ONCE THE BURGERS WERE COOKED TO MY LIKING, I CLEANED THE SKILLET OF ALL GREASE, DRIED IT, AND THEN PUT THE PATTIES BACK ON WITH THE CHEESE


ONCE THIS PART IS DONE THEN PUT THE FAT-FREE THOUSAND ISLAND ON A TOASTED WHOLE-WHEAT BUT. PUT THE BURGER WITH THE CHEESE ON THE BUN.

FEEL FREE TO ADD:
MUSTARD
LETTUCE
TOMATOES
ONIONS
GRILLED ONIONS
MUSHROOMS


Tuesday, March 2, 2010

GO GREEN!!! ... Asparagus


I always try and keep a green vegetable in my fridge at all times. They make for really good snacks as well as sides to a meal. Today I ate asparagus as a light snack in between lunch and dinner.


First what I did was I took 5 pieces of asparagus, washed them, cut the bottom off and cut them in half. I stuck them into boiling water for about 8 minutes, or until they are cooked to the texture of your liking






Afterwards I drained them out, stuck them into a small bowl, drizzled them with a teaspoon of olive oil and some fresh ground pepper. I cannot tell you how delicious this was! AND it was extremely simple! I know that a lot of people do not like the stringy texture, the smell and maybe even the effects it can have on your urine. I have found that drinking a lot of water helps to eliminate that, or make it less profound.
My friend Zach Wells told me about Blanching (yes, yes I am learning new things here too)
For those of you who do not know what it is (like me until now)
here you go:
Blanching is an easy technique that many chefs use to help keep vegetables crisp and tender. By boiling asparagus briefly, chilling them in ice water, and then reheating them slowly, blanching preserves texture, color and flavor.
This will eliminate that stringy texture that we sometime think is gross. This will also make it so that you can eat them a few hours later and they will not be mushy. :)
THANKS ZACH!!
***Green vegetables are very rich in Vitamin K, and should be a MANDATORY part of your diet!!!!


Benefits of Asparagus

Found on HealthMad.com
  • High in Vitamin K and Folate
  • Eat asparagus when you are pregnant, thinking about conceiving because it can help prevent birth defects i.e: spina bifida
  • Great for your heart (HELLLOO)
  • Helps with menstral cramps (YAY)
  • great for your gastrointestincal tract and your colon
  • Great food to help treat depression
  • Increases the sucess rate of chemo therapy
  • helps lower cholesterol
  • helps fight off high blood pressure

These are only some of the fantastic effect of Asparagus. They are really easy to make and need to be added to your diet!! Really GO GREEN with this one.

OTHER RECIPE IDEAS:

fat- free cream cheese, wrapped w. turkey bacon

olive-oil, pepper, fat-free feta

(feel free to leave your ideas on how to cook healthy asparagus)