What's the dealio with grains?

What's the dealio with grains?

  

All grains start out as whole grains. If, after milling, they keep all three parts of the original grain – the germ, bran and endosperm – in their original proportions, they still qualify as whole grains.

 

People should consume three or more servings of whole grains each day. This is a minimum – the Dietary Guidelines say that "more whole grains up to all the grains recommended may be selected."
So what is a serving? The Dietary Guidelines define a serving (or ounce-equivalent) of grain as 1 slice of 100% whole grain bread, a cup of 100% whole grain cereal, or 1/2 cup of 100% whole grain hot cereal, cooked pasta, rice or other grain.

 

Some times a whole grain is NOT a whole grain! Often products are made with a mix of whole and enriched grains. High fiber is not always equivalent to whole grain. It is important to check the ingredient list for whole grains among the first ingredients. Look for the

Wheatfoods.org lists the top 10 ways to get whole grains into your diet!

 (I made some "Kimmel" changes to this list)  

1. Start the day off with a bowl of your favorite, delicious high-fiber cereal, such as frosted shredded wheat or whole grain raisin bran.
2. Put fruits, such as berries, raisins, or bananas, on your cereal to increase your fiber intake by about 1 to 2 grams.
3. Combine the great taste of both whole grain and enriched grain breads in your family’s diet. For example, introduce whole grain taste to the family by using one slice of white bread and one slice of 100% whole wheat bread when making sandwiches.
4. Next time you are making any type of pasta, instead of using traditional pasta, choose whole wheat pasta. Even macaroni and cheese lovers can use whole wheat macaroni.
5. Substitute wheat bran for one-third of the all-purpose flour when making pancakes, waffles, muffins, or any other flour-based food. For ready made waffles,pancakes, muffins etc. Vita muffins and Vans moth make excellent whole grain products!
6. When you feel the urge to start snacking, reach for a  piece of fruit, pretzels, or baked pita chips instead of a candy bar.
7. If rice is what you crave, then steer toward brown rice, which offers increased amounts of dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Plus, it tastes exquisite.
8. Believe it or not, popcorn can be a healthy snack for you and your children. Just don’t use too much butter or salt on this whole-grain treat.
9. A great substitute for desserts is a bowl of fruit (especially raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries). Try whole wheat bread pudding with fruit, or perhaps a treat as tasty as a whole grain muffin strikes your fancy. To make it kid friendly add a wallop of yogurt on top for a parfait!
10. Leave the skins on fruits and vegetables such as pears, apples, peaches, and even potatoes, as opposed to peeling them off. Most of the fiber is in the skin, which will help the digestive tract and may prevent colon cancer.

RECIPE IDEA!!!!!!!!!

Description: Enjoy these wonderful white whole wheat muffins!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg or 3 tbsp egg whites
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 cup milk, 2%
2 cups whole wheat flour *
add your choice of bananas, blueberries, dates, cranberries


Directions: Preheat oven to 400°F. Have ingredients at room temperature.
Line the muffin tin using paper baking cups


With electric mixer; cream butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and baking soda together, scraping bowl with spatula.
In a small bowl, using a fork, beat together the egg and vanilla; add to creamed mixture. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the milk to the creamed mixture. Gradually add the whole wheat flour and lightly stir the ingredients together so dry ingredients are barely moistened. Last step is to add your fruit. I say, BE GENEROUS, but remember to much will make them fall apart. Also, over mixing  the batter in general will make the muffins tough with tunnels.
Fill muffin tins 2/3 full and bake 15 to 17 minutes or until browned and done. Remove from muffin tin and cool on wire rack.

*White whole wheat flour — for list of suppliers go to www.kswheat.com.

Servings: 12 muffins



 Each muffin will be about 230-250 calories depending on the fruit you add....and about 3grams of fiber, again dependant on the fruit. :)

Check out my favorite blogs!!!!!!!!!!!

LoneMar Design and Decor
http://www.lonemor.com/2011/01/03/2011/

Hungry Girl Recipes and Nutrition Tips
http://www.hungry-girl.com/

DeviledMegs Funny Day to Day
http://www.deviledmegs.com

Mama Drama Mommy Advice
http://allthatmamadrama.com/
ShayCarl Funny Day to Day
http://www.shaycarl.com

Ashley Webb Yoga
www.ashleywebbyoga.com

Tasha Rein Yoga and Healthy Recipes
http://www.tasharein.com/weblog/

A couple of food things

So when it comes to food/eating/nutrition I am like a dry sponge waiting to soup up some water.....I love reading, learning and trying new things. Unfortunately through the years that also also meant some time with fad diets, wonky and mis advised adventures in overeating and not eating at all, and have some horrible habits to show for it. But recently I did a "cleanse" of sorts, and for the first time in a long time I did feel much more in control. I did the 11 day Isagenix "cleanse" and really liked it. I'm going to tell you about it because I did take some heat for doing a "cleanse"...and on the flip side I had a lot of people ask me to do the cleanse just because I did it (I am a big believer in doing whats right for YOU!). I believe everyone should make educated decisions so here is some info on the Isagenix system. Here is what it did...for me. I spent two days in pre-cleanse drink two shakes for breakfast and dinner. For lunch I had a really healthy, clean, protein-rich lunch. In between there were snacks such as apples and almonds. What there wasn't was caffeine, and for me that was um...painful. I love me some coffee, BUT my growing coffee addiction was a big reason I decided to do this sort of controlled eating system, or should I say...a desire to get RID of my coffee addiction is why I did the system! :) Well after the precleanse you head into the actual cleanse where you drink a juice made of minerals, vitamins, and herbs all day long. This drink IS NOT a colon cleanse, its a cleanse to support your entire body. You also can snack again on almonds, apples etc. as well as a Isagenix pre-made snack. You do two juice days, then back to 5 shake days, and then two more juice days after that. In my eleven days on the cleanse, I kicked my caffeine habit, finally stopped snacking on crap, and lost some weight (11lbs). I felt literally SO GOOD. Since my cleanse I use the Isagenix shakes and meal bars almost daily..and I have to say this, they are by far the best tasting meal replacement bars I have ever had. Additionally their nutritional stats (yes I actually read these..I don't just believe whats on the advertising) are high in good fats, low in bad fats, they contain no trans fat, have healthy amounts of sodium and crabs, and are chock full of vitamins. Did I mention they taste soooo good!


Now I don't tell you all of this because I want you to do Isagenix, that is your decision. I tell you because its is a product I like and a decision I am glad I made....and when you see me eating these products or hear that I did a cleanse please don't look at me like I'm crazy. :) If you are interested in more info let me know!

Anyways, enough serious stuff...I received this email today and thought I would pass it on. I have not double checked the info in the email, but it seems interesting enough!!!

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye. And YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.



A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.



Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.



A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.



Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.



Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.



Avocadoes, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).



Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.



Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.



Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries



Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.



Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.

Post Trip Entry #1

So I am sure that since so few people read this while I was on the trip...even fewer people will read this now that I am relocated to San Diego. But when I started this blog, and failed originally, I really wanted to write a blog about fitness....inside out. I wanted to write about my struggles and triumphs, and provide you with some great ideas as well. And, well, since I finally got into the habit of writing this blog...I am going to keep writing this blog. We will see what happens. :)  I have a feeling there will be days I write a ton, and days I only write a little bit, I will do ALOT of reposting of articles and blogs that I read...so bare with me while I figure this thing out! :)

The question has come up several times over the past month as I transitioned out of my old job, and then packed up my life, and then drove across the country, "What has been the most difficult part..health wise?" Well the answer is easy...FORGIVING MYSELF! Here is the thing, unless you have recently packed up/sold/gave away everything you owned and then quit a great job, and then drove across the country to a new life....well unless you haven't done this you wouldn't realize how stressful it is. So working out, eating well, everything I "normally" try to do flew out the window. So I made a conscious decision to just do the best I could and make my life as easy as possible. Again EASY was the name of the game! What does that mean...it means I may not have ate organic, whole, non-processed foods the whole time I was on my trip but I also didn't eat McDonald's (Although to be truthful I would have if I had no other options. This topic did come up with a friend who said she would just not eat, and I was like hell no....I can make a "healthier" decision anywhere and I really think that will always be better than not eating). No sooner do we have this discussion then does my friend and gym owner Derek pass on this blog. Its all about eating clean at restaurants. I thought it was great so here it is: http://solidbodyfit.com/workouts/2010/10/07/eating-clean-series-chillis/ This first installment is about Chili's, but I believe he will be doing a whole bunch of restaurants so check back in when you can.  Soooo...I digress.....FORGIVING MYSELF. See the biggest part of MY FITNESS is being ok with the waxes and wanes, not beating myself up when I fall of the wagon, and NOT getting crazy when I am on the wagon. I went through a stage of my life when I listened to an ex more than I listened to myself. I heard his words in my head not my own. Let's just say those words were not always nice and were leading me done a path of self destruction. I never ate. I exercised constantly and I beat myself up for never being as skinny, as strong or as perfect as he wanted me to be. The truth was by NOT eating, I couldn't get strong. And by not being strong I certainly wasn't the perfect ME I knew I could be. And the constant exercise really only helped him out as my working out was beneficial for him professionally (long fitness story for another time). What's my point? My point is this...I am not going to fret over 3-4 weeks with poor workouts. I am NOT gonna cry over extra calories. I certainly am NOT gonna feel bad about a few extra pounds. Now that I am settled in Cali, I am getting back on track and in no time will be back to "normal." And guess what.....by not caring, by doing what was easy, by forgiving myself...I am the fittest I have EVER been...inside out!

MEAL OF THE DAY:
(I am not a nutritionist...maybe one of my nutritionist friends an take these ideas and make them "perfect." But I think that as long as the foods are whole, and the portions are good...we are on our way!)
Egg Frittatas (I adopted this from www.hungrygirl.com and then made some changes for me)
3-Cheese Bacon-Apple-Bella Frittata


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups fat-free liquid egg whites substitute
1 cup chopped portabello mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1 large apple  finely chopped
2 slices Meatless bacon or extra-lean turkey bacon
2 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese, chopped
1/2 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
2 tbsp. fat-free non-dairy liquid creamer (like Coffee-mate Original Fat Free)
Sprinkle of Parmesean cheese

Directions:
Preheat broiler.

In a medium bowl, combine egg substitute and creamer. Whisk together for 1 minute. Add Swiss cheese and cheddar cheese. Set aside.

Bring a large oven-safe pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat on the stove.

Add bacon and mushrooms, and cook until bacon is slightly crispy and mushrooms and spinach begin to soften, about 3 - 5 minutes.

Add apple and continue to cook until softened, about 2 minutes.

Pour egg mixture into the pan, and tilt pan back and forth to ensure egg mixture is evenly distributed. Make sure cheese is evenly distributed, as well. If needed, run a spatula along the sides of the pan to help egg to flow underneath the bacon, mushrooms, and apple. Cook for 2 minutes, and then remove from heat.
Sprinkle Parmesean cheese evenly on top of the frittata. Place under the broiler. Allow to cook for about 4 minutes, until the egg has puffed up and the mixture is set.

Drive from Boston to San Diego: CHECK!

Hi everyone, it's D!  And you realize that when I say "everyone" I mean the THREE people who are reading our blog.  We know who you are and we appreciate you taking the time to read this because no one else did.  Yup, I said it :)

Although the drive was long and we often felt as though we were being tortured by the boredom gods --- it was SOOO much fun and SO worth it.  I've seen and experienced more in the past 12 days than I thought was possible to do in such a short amount of time!  And since I know that you're all DYING to know where my favorite stop was (me, the girl from Boston who listens to country music and goes to country concerts in a cowboy hat and cowboy boots).....it was NOT Little Rock, Arkansas.  I LOVED NASHVILLE!!  For all the reasons that Kimmel listed, EXCEPT for the tall boys because everyone looks tall to me.  So if our pictures haven't sold you on it yet -- you should all (all three of you that is) make it a point to see some - or all - of these places in your lifetime.  You will NOT regret it.  Promise.

I have one last thing to say.  After hearing this statement, oh, only what seems like 50 times since announcing that I was joining Kimmel on her cross-country adventure --- I STILL cannot understand why it's such a shocker.  "You're driving cross country with Kimmel?!  OMG, I can't believe that!"  Look people, I didn't do it to take a two week vacation (although it was nice to be away), and I didn't do it just to be able to see places I've never visited (although that was a big attraction), I didn't do it as a favor, and no - she did NOT pay me to go with her (one out of the 3 of you might have thought that. don't lie).  This was an opportunity of a lifetime that I got to experience with my friend who I love and will miss dearly every time I realize that I can't go pick her up and go get something to eat (because we are SOOO good at doing that together!) .  I will miss her face and her voice in the gym and my workouts will be forever changed.  I feel NOTHING but lucky to have been able to go on this journey with my friend.

Thanks for reading this and for going on the journey with us :)

See you guys back home!

~D

We are here!

K:

We got in last night 6pm! WOO HOO! Luca and Elias were excited as they thought I wasn't coming till the next day. I think D and I are both happy to be in our final location. :) This is our journey, crazy right?

Now we are in San Diego (San Marcos actually) ....here are some pics of one of the 3 windmills fields in California located in Plam Springs. It was insane and I guess the 3 fields produce almost 2% of California's total electricity. Nice right? 

 SOOOO in the end we made it across the country, saw some cool stuff. Saw license plates for every state except North Dakota, South Dakota and Hawaii PLUS Mexico, Ontario, and Quebec. Did it in 11 days...through rain, hail, thunderstorms, lightening and even tornadoes.

So where was our favorite places you ask...mine was Nashville first, the men were tall, handsome and nice...the food was gluttonous, and the music was great! D's was ...wait I will let her tell you because I am now going to fore her to actually blog an entry herself!

PEACE OUT HOMIES!

Sedona UPDATE Part 2

K:

So the weather report is calling for sever thunderstorms, rain, and hail between 10-2pm today. AWESOME! Anyway I woke up early to walk Bailey and try and catch some nice pics before the rain started. It was really pretty this am, even the clouds in the sky looked like a watercolor painting! Also, Bailey and I had our first brush with west coast wildlife. I don't know WHATTTT hissed at us this am from a bush...but I peed a little bit and then ran! :) Enjoy the pics we are off to San Diego!

Looks like a painting right?

I did NOTHING to this pic, this is just the way the sky looked!