My First Juicer

January 31st, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review | Kitchen - (0 Comments)

I was lucky enough to get a NutriPro Juicer from Bella for free! I have never owned a juicer, but was thinking about getting one. I always just figured I wouldn’t use it much.

nutripro masticating juicer

Even though I received a free juicer, all words written are my honest true thoughts.

Anyhow, if you are new to the juicing world, there are two types of juicers out there: centrifugal and masticating (chewing) juicers.

The NutriPro I got is a masticating juicer meaning that it “chews” through the food slowly. This is also known as the “cold press” method which supposedly preserves more enzymes and nutrients. We are not sure exactly how many nutrients are lost in the centrifugal juicers–it may be insignificant.

fresh carrot juice

Overall, I love my juicer, and it is fun to watch it crush foods. Sometimes it gets stuck if you put in a chunk of carrot that is too large. It seems to do about average as far a the yield that it produces. Mr. Cyclist thinks it may be a little low yield.

It is fairly easy to clean and dishwasher safe, and very quiet compared to other juicers I have heard.

fresh green juice

This is my standard juice that I make: 3 leaves of kale, half a small cucumber, 2 stalks celery, 1 small-medium apple, 2 lemon slices. Then, I add some wheat grass in between (if I have some ready and grown).

wheat grass for cats

Lemon (the cat) loves wheat grass, too!

You can read more about the NutriPro at my post on Diet-Blog.

Do you have a juicer?

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Move More with an Exercise Ball as Your Chair

January 29th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Exercise | Food Review - (0 Comments)

I have been sitting on this exercise stability ball for over a month.

exercise ball as desk chair

No one has really noticed. Except my coworkers no longer come into my office as much except to do a few crunches. I don’t think they like sitting on the ball as much as I do. I think they find it slightly annoying which it can be at times.

Week 1: My back hurt after the first full day of sitting on the ball. After that, my back felt fine. It seemed like it just took an initial adjustment to be able to sit on the ball all day.

After that, I had no back issues. Please keep in mind that I do not sit on the ball for 8 hours straight. I get up, go sit at another desk area, or just move to a different location in the office for a little bit. But, the majority of the time I am at my desk.

exercise ball office chair

Why did I do this?

I noticed my posture was starting to get worse the longer I had a “desk” job. I have been sitting for most of the day for 2.5 years now, and it has definitely taken a toll of my posture. I also wanted to be able to move a little more in my day. Anything I can do to try not to be sedentary is a bonus.

I have also started to do yoga more frequently, and this has helped tremendously with my posture.

The Verdict

Please do not follow my suggestions (do this at your own risk) because I know many exercise physiologists and chiropractors might say the exercise ball is a terrible idea for a desk chair, and say that you need more support. I do agree, that the ball leaves you craving a real chair with a nice back to lean against. But, overall the ball has strengthened my back, helped me move more, and kept me a little entertained!

Guess what else I got this week?

glass water bottle

A new glass water bottle! LOVE it. From Lifefactory, but purchased at Whole Paycheck.

I use glass because I swear you can taste the plastic of plastic water bottles even if they are BPA free.

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The Mexican Meatball

January 28th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (0 Comments)

This is not any type of authentic recipe, but it is fun and delicious! And easy for a weeknight meal.

Mexican Meatballs

I got the recipe from Clean Eating Magazine HERE.

The only thing I did differently was add onion, and red and green peppers for extra vegetables and flavor. I also added garlic and some chipotle pepper for flavor and spice in the skillet. I ground up some coriander, cumin, and chopped chipotle peppers to add inside the meatball.

But, other than that, just follow the Clean Eating recipe, add some extra vegetable or maybe have a side salad. I ate mine with extra sour cream…. mmm.

southwest meatball

And hopefully yours turns out something like this!

Thoughts for the week:

be extraordinary

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How is that Spelt?

January 27th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Healthy Living - (0 Comments)

I picked up some fresh spelt pasta from the farmer’s market last weekend. It was the first time I had spelt in a pasta before. Mr Cyclist was wondering what spelt is…

Well, I can tell you I turned it into this:

spelt pasta

Spelt is a form of wheat. Many might categorize it in the “ancient grain” category, therefore it has been less processed than the modern wheat plant we find in most everything these days. The outer layer of spelt is also more tough, so it is said to hold in nutrients better.

An interesting fact: Those who do not tolerate wheat products say that they can eat spelt-based foods and feel fine. If you have Celiac’s disease, it is NOT recommended to eat spelt because it DOES contain gluten. However, those with mild food sensitivities do well choosing spelt over traditional wheat.

The end result is a slighter healthier grain than your traditional whole wheat pasta. Plus, this one was fresh made! Yum.

healthy spelt pasta

I cooked some shallots and garlic, then sauteed a lot of fresh spinach. I added some pesto chicken sausage from Trader Joe’s and some sun-dried tomatoes.

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Juicer Muffins

January 23rd, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (0 Comments)

Huh? What?

Yes, juicer muffins! The perfect use for leftover juicer pulp:

juicer pulp

Look at all that shredded carrot pulp just waiting to be eaten.

I got a new and FREE juicer from NutriPro (more on that later), and now have all this excess plant material. I don’t want to be wasteful, so I whipped up this concoction:

carrot muffins

These “muffins” definitely seem like “health food” upon closer inspection and taste. But, they passed the Mr Cyclist taste test.

Ingredients (*I am not completely sure on this as I just threw ingredients in a bowl!):

  • 24 oz. (3 cups) carrot pulp leftover from juicing (mine had traces of celery and ginger in it)
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1 cup brown rice flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1  Tbsp. cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 12 packets stevia (about 3 Tbsp.)
  • 1-2 tsp molasses
  • 1-2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk (may need to add a little more until moist)
  • 1/2 cup raisins

Mix all together and bake in greased muffin tins at 375 F for about 20-23 minutes (or until the tops become a little more crisp).

juicer muffins

There is A LOT of carrot in these muffins. That is where they get the deep orange color from. Plenty of vitamin A!

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Leftover Broccoli Stems? Don’t Throw Them Out!

January 22nd, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Healthy Living | Recipes - (0 Comments)

Many of us only use the florets of the broccoli plant. But, what about the poor little broccoli stems? I used to throw them out, but Mr. Cyclist had a genius idea for cooking them.

chile broccoli stems

He sliced the stems on the julienne setting on the mandolin. Then, sauteed in oil, chili oil, garlic, and sriracha sauce. Topped with black sesame seeds. It was absolutely delicious, but super spicy. I could only eat a few bites at a time.

asian kale salad

We had a cute little salad with it, and some miso soup!

ginger kale salad

Yesterday, I also went to the farmer’s market to load up on fruits, vegetables, and spices. It was a mad house. I finally made it out of there alive, and loaded up my fridge.

fridge with veggies

You can’t really tell from this picture, but there are loads of oranges, clementines, spinach, kale, carrots, celery, cucumber, peppers, herbs, apples, some dried fruit, eggplant, brussels sprouts, and more…

I also picked up these spices for $0.40-$2 each!!

cheap bulk spices

What a steal! This week, I will have plenty of healthy recipe ideas ready to go. It definitely helps to do this shopping ahead of time.

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January Workout Playlist

January 20th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Exercise - (0 Comments)

Ready for some new music to get you motivated for your next workout?

Here is what I was listening to today for my run:

Enjoy!

Do you have any suggestions of your own? 

When I came back from my run, the kitties were checking out the weather:

cats looking out window

cats at window

Oh you know, just being a cat :)

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Quinoa Guacamole Salad

January 20th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (0 Comments)

I call this “guacamole quinoa” because that is what it tastes like: guacamole mixed with quinoa.

guacamole quinoa

This recipe is filling, tasty, and contains all the nutrients you need: Healthy fats, complete proteins, vegetables, fruit, high fiber, and a healthy carbohydrate.

I am not sure where I originally got this recipe idea from, but I know it was first adapted from Oh She Glows. I modified it to make it fit the ingredients I had at home, so here you go:

Quinoa Guacamole Saladavocado quinoa

Cooking time: About 30 minutes     Serves: About 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup dry quinoa (Mr Cyclist doubled this because he thought it wasn’t enough, but agrees that it should’ve been 1/2 cup)
  • 2 cups water with large pinch of salt or reduced sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 small can chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1/2  a pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 cups of fresh spinach or about 3/4-1 cup frozen and squeezed dry
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • 1/2 a bunch of fresh cilantro (or you could use a tube of puree cilantro herb to season)

    Dressing (from the Diva Dish):
  • Juice of 1-2 lemons
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp. dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. ground coriander
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Cook quinoa according to package. Meanwhile, mix all your dressing ingredients together and prepare the rest of your ingredients.
  2. When the quinoa is near done, you can stir in your spinach and cilantro, and continue to heat until they are cooked in.
  3. Add the chickpeas, onions, garlic, and seasonings to quinoa.
  4. Add your dressing, then cool the quinoa. You can put it in the fridge for a little while or over a bowl of ice.
  5. Add in the tomatoes and avocado. Stir to combine until it is creamier. Put back in the fridge for another 5 minutes or so.

Serve with a cilantro garnish! You can also add some crushed red pepper for spice or a little chipotle chili powder.

quinoa avocado salad

Mr Cyclist says this wasn’t his favorite dish, and doesn’t want to make anymore cold quinoa dishes. He says he prefers it warm. So, if you like, try the dish warm and see if you like it better. I think it is good either way. I loved how easy it was to take to work for lunches. It is a complete meal all-in-one.

 

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Salmon Dinner Night: Danny Turns 17

January 19th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week - (0 Comments)

My little brother, who is not little anymore at all (he is 6’3″ tall), turned 17. This makes me feel old. I know that is silly. I still decorated a cookie cake kid style just to make myself feel even younger.

dinosaur cookie cake

Dinosaurs vs. toy soldiers. Haha. Everyone got a kick out of it. Not healthy, but at least Psycho Holiday Baker made it from scratch.

For dinner, Dad made some awesome salmon “burgers” made from fresh salmon. They were delicious! And much more nutritious.

salmon burger

Since I ate leftover turkey lettuce wraps at 3 pm, and we snacked on brown rice crackers and cheese before dinner, I just ate a small salmon burger with a bed of lettuce.

Of course, Danny would not be eating salmon on his birthday. This is the unhealthy version of the birthday dinner night:

unhealthy onion rings and burger

Danny's Birthday

Anyway, tomorrow I will probably go out for a run to burn off the buttery sugary cookie cake. Going to be beautiful weather here in Atlanta. A nice break from the nasty, cold and wet weather we had all this week.

Tomorrow I will have my guacamole quinoa recipe posted!

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Chicken Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

January 13th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (1 Comments)

When I was a kid, we always used to have sausage and peppers, but I never made it again as an adult. Mostly, I just thought it wasn’t very healthy. But, you can make it packed with vitamins and minerals! The peppers add loads of vitamin C, and the onions add some antioxidants. Believe it or not! Then, I get a chicken sausage to make it as healthy as possible.

And this is what you get:

healthier sausage and peppers

By the way, I really need to get a new camera. If you noticed, all my pictures are crooked because my camera screen is broken. I can’t see what the heck I am doing!

Anyway…

Healthier Sausage and Peppers

Ingredients:

  • 1 large yellow onion (or 2 medium-small), thinly sliced
  • 3 peppers, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed/minced
  • 1 Tbsp. dried oregano
  • 1 Tbsp. dried basil
  • 1 lb. chicken sausage links
  • 1 1/2 cups good tomato sauce (I had some leftover that was homemade)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Parsley for garnish

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet, add your olive oil and heat on medium. Next, add your onions, and cook for about 5 minutes on medium.
  2. Add your peppers, and cook another 5 minutes. Add your garlic, and seasonings. Cook on medium/low until your vegetables have softened.
  3. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan, and add your sausage in the middle. Turn every few minutes to brown the sides.
  4. Add your tomato sauce, and cover for another 5-8 minutes.

To serve, you can serve by itself, or over top brown rice or pasta, or a whole grain bread. We loved the taste of the peppers and onions, and wish we made more! Next time, I might double the amount of peppers and onions, or use a little less sausage.

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