Code Recipes21

Did you know that residents in Baltimore and the surrounding area consume more bananas than most other cities in the United States?  Baltimore has been named a 2012 "Top Banana City".  Pretty fantastic, right?  Have you ever walked into a grocery store and not seen a beautiful pile of sunny yellow bananas?  Maybe you slice them and put them in your cereal, make an ice cream sundae with them, eat them before or after a workout, grab one and toss it in your briefcase or lunchbag for a mid-morning snack.  However you choose to eat your bananas, you're helping our area to be one of the highest in banana consumption in our country!  Go you!  Read more about Baltimore being named a top Banana city here:  Baltimore and Bananas on Bloomberg

Here's another little factoid.  Dole has coined the phrase "Bananas - Nature's Natural Energy Bar".  Bananas are super healthy and are packed with nutrients such as vitamins B-6 & C, potassium, manganese & dietary fiber.  They're a natural, sweet treat and can be enjoyed in many healthy recipes.  They're also an amazing choice pre & post workout (hint, hint).  More on that in a minute.

First, a few more tidbits for you.  More than 90% of U.S. households buy bananas regularly - they're our nation's most popular fruit AND the #1 item sold in supermarkets.  Dole is the #1 banana brand in the world.

Studies have shown that bananas are an excellent energy source and they also help to replenish lost carbohydrates & glycogen that are burned off during exercise.  They contain electrolytes and are great for a post-workout boost without the added sodium and sugars of popular sports drinks - plus, they're a fraction of the price!

Now - what you've been waiting for - The Main Event!
*When: Saturday, July 28th at 8:00 PM
*Where: My house - please contact me for my address & directions

I'll be serving up several treats and we'll also be making some together.  All will include Dole bananas and each recipe will be healthy!  Do you think bananas are only best used in sweet baked goods, ice cream or smoothies?  Think again!  I'll share some savory snacks and dishes that would make wonderful main dishes at parties and gatherings (just like the one I'm hosting).  I'm even going to share 2 things that are from my recipe vault.  Exciting!

Even more exciting than that, though - yes, it gets even better - is that Dole is giving away tons of GOODIES to YOU!!!  I'm going to keep those top secret until you arrive at my house for the event.  There needs to be some element of surprise and awe, right?

Be sure to RSVP as soon as possible.  In fact, step away, go check your calendar and mark the date & time.  There, now you're all set on your end.  Next, email me to reserve your spot.  They're filling up quickly and I want to make sure you get on the list.  You can reach me at Debi@FitNHealthyMommy.com or message me on Facebook here:  Fit & Healthy Mommy on Facebook

Mexican Quinoa Bake Recipe

Yes - it's as good as it sounds.  Thank you to Healthy Bitch Daily for sharing this recipe on June 29th.  I pinned it and vowed to try it soon.  Tonight was the night - I had pretty much all of the ingredients on hand.  Sweet!  I love when that happens.

Here's how I made it - you know me, I tweak everything!

Preheat oven to 400.  Since I already had the quinoa cooked, I sauteed the onions in a little bit of coconut oil and added the frozen corn to thaw a bit.  Once the onions were translucent, I added those and the corn to a large mixing bowl with the cooked quinoa, shredded sweet potato, beans, spices & herbs and 1/2 cup of the cheese substitute.

Thank you for your patience as I stayed offline this weekend so that I could be more present and engaged with my family.  I know I owe a few days' worth of updates.  I'm going to condense it and skip some of the pictures.  You can see all of my meals on my Facebook Page: Fit & Healthy Mommy (if you click this link, you'll be taken right to the album).

Today was day 9 for me in my Ultimate Reset.  Yesterday began week 2 - the Release phase.  It's centered on Detox.  There's a Detox supplement I am taking three times a day.  The Detox is in powder form and is mixed with water.  It's not very good, I won't lie.  I was told to suck on a lemon wedge before and following the drink - and that helps tremendously with the taste.  (FYI, I'm not running to the bathroom all day, if that's a concern for anyone reading this.  haha!!)

It's been an interesting few days. I feel pretty good, but I admit that I did cheat yesterday.  I did great even while at the Orioles game (I brought my salad for lunch) but just before the 7th inning stretch, I caved and had 2 beers.  I have been avoiding alcohol as required with the Reset.  That led to a less-than-healthy dinner decision.  I am not at all feeling guilty or frustrated by this though.  It was Mother's Day and my kids wanted to take me out to dinner after the O's game.  We had a wonderful time!!

Right back on track today though.  I'm feeling less foggy this week and am sleeping better, for the most part.  I would love to say that I am naturally waking feeling well rested, but in truth, I have been sleeping in for a few days (I love weekends!!)  I'm interested in seeing how the next few mornings go.

I have not been doing my morning stretch and breathing, and I have noticed a decline in my positive mood each morning.  Therefore, starting tomorrow morning, I'm right back to it.  I have been working on other self-care methods, though.  Dry brushing a few times a week prior to showering (it's an awesome way to remove external toxins...you know, our skin is our largest organ and we do take in a lot of toxins each day through our skin).

Hi everyone!  Day 5 of the reset here - it's going by pretty fast.  16 days to go!

I was so exhausted last night that I didn't post my Day 4 recap.  I knew to expect fatigue right around day 4 and it's continued into today.  Both days, it's hit me around 1 PM.  I'm grateful that I have two preschool girls who like to have quiet time/nap in the afternoon, so I was able to rest both days.  I'm realizing more and more how critical self-care is in our overall health.  Our bodies work very hard for us every day, day in & day out.  We have to stop and be grateful for that, even if we're not happy with how we look, if we feel we need to lose weight, if we are working on becoming happier/more patient/less irritable.  We're all works in progress, so take the time now to appreciate your body for what it does for you.  Don't wait until you reach whatever goal you're striving towards.

I've been trying to listen to my body for a long time.  However, I tend to let the emotions roll in and plow over my logical thought when it comes to eating.  This reset is really helping me to determine physical hunger from mental/emotional hunger.  I'm finding ways to detour from the pantry & fridge when I'm feeling guilty, stressed, angry, irritable.  I've been focusing more on my breath and counting before I react.  I'm asking myself what else I need at that particular time because it shouldn't be food.  It's a pretty fantastic feeling to work through and avoid those emotional eating binges.

Other than the fatigue, I'm feeling pretty well.  I have not had any headaches because I have never been a big drinker of caffeinated beverages.  I see a lot of other Resetters experiencing those headaches and it makes me grateful to not be a coffee drinker.  I was not overly hungry today and felt satisfied after each meal.  I'm not starving on this program - contrary to what some people might think when they refer to this as a cleanse or detox.  It's about Whole Body Wellness (by the way, have you visited my website Fit & Healthy Whole Body Wellness?)  I'm not only helping my body to release toxins and addictions, but I'm working on finding peace in my mind and heart as well.  I love this!

Well, friends, I have survived Day 3.  Just kidding, it's not that bad.  I did feel tired today, but that's because my energy kept me awake late last night, so I struggled getting up this morning.  I set my alarm for 5:35 and did my morning Yoga at 5:55.  I confess I got into bed after the yoga and rested until 6:45 - hahaha!!  I felt tired again in the afternoon around 2 PM, so I took advantage of my girls' having their quiet time and I rested for about 35 minutes too.  I felt GREAT afterwards!

One of the (strong) suggestions with the Ultimate Reset is to NOT do any intense exercise during the 21 days.  The only movement that's advised is walking briskly 20 minutes twice per day or yoga, stretching, Tai Chi, etc.  Tonight was my TurboKick teaching night so I opted to teach.  Other instructors who are following the program have found subs to teach their classes for 3 weeks.  Because I had class tonight, I added in a snack today along with my 3 meals.  I feel like it was a good decision - and I had my dinner post-workout.

I admit I'm having a little trouble with a few things.  First, we're advised not to drink water while eating because, contrary to what most people think, water while eating can actually hinder digestion instead of aiding it.  I am used to drinking water with my meals, so now that I have to wait for ten minutes or more after eating, I find that I am not drinking as much water as I'm used to.  Therefore, I need to add it in more throughout the day.  Not a big deal, but definitely a change for me.  I'm not loving the Alkalinize each day.  I'm glad it's only once per day - and I take it like a shot in 4 oz water.  Like I posted yesterday, it's very GREEN.

I'm getting used to not having overwhelming flavors, although my steamed greens were tough to eat tonight.  They were pretty bitter.  I might have to add a little squeeze of lemon when I have them for breakfast tomorrow.

Here's how my looked today:
5:35 AM - wake up
5:55 AM - Yoga

7:20 AM - 12 oz water with Mineralize, Optimize & Oxygenize

7:50 AM - Breakfast

12:15 PM - 12 oz water with Mineralize, Optimize & Oxygenize 

1:00 PM - Lunch

3:25 PM - Alkalinize w/4oz water

4:30 PM - Snack
7:00 PM - TurboKick class

8:10 PM - 12 oz water with Mineralize, Optimize & Oxygenize 

9:00 PM - Dinner (yikes - so late!!)

Hi friends!!  Week 1, Day 2 of my Ultimate Reset is closing and overall it was a good day.  I will admit that I had some struggles, but overall, I'm feeling pretty good!!  It's only day 2 but I am looking forward to my posts on Days 19, 20 & 21.  I can seriously imagine the feeling of accomplishment!

My food was the same as yesterday.  I didn't want to waste leftovers so I repeated last night's dinner, and breakfast was on the run so I opted for quick oatmeal again.  I was feeling a little more hungry today and I took time to reflect on how I was feeling each time - to determine whether it was hunger or habit.  A few times I was hungry, but I opted for water.  Tomorrow I think I'll add a snack in if I need it.  I did miss my pre-dinner supplements because my afternoon ran into evening so quickly that I ran out of time.  Otherwise I'd be eating dinner at 8 PM.  (The supplements are taken and then I have to wait half an hour before I can eat, then 2 hours - at least - before my next supplements and so on.)  I added the missed supplements after dinner.

I will say that I am having a little trouble with the Alkalinize.  I am usually pretty good with green smoothies and juices, but this stuff is GREEN.  I had all 3 girls smell it and all 3 of them made stink faces.  Hahaha!!  Whatever, it's good for me and is helping to restore my body internally, so I'll hold my nose and drink it every day (read: shoot it back).

My energy is good!  I thought I might feel sluggish today, but maybe that will hit tomorrow or Wednesday.  I set my alarm and got up at 5:15 this morning.  That wasn't easy - I wanted to hit snooze and roll over.  But, I did it - I got up and I did a 25 minute morning yoga (DVD).  It was actually a really fabulous way to start my morning.  I turned on a dim light, light a relaxation candle, and faced the windows so that I was able to see the sun rise.  I hope to start most day like this.  It set my mood (peaceful) for the day and I felt a little less frazzled during our first school morning routine following vacation.  Maybe another 19 days of this will truly help to calm me.  I'll keep posting about it as I go through this program.

5:30 AM - Yoga

7:30 AM - Oxygenize, Optimize & Mineralize w/12 oz water

8:15 AM - Breakfast
1:45 PM - Oxygenize, Optimize & Mineralize w/12 oz water

2:30 PM - Lunch

4:30 PM - Alkalinize w/4 oz water

6:30 PM - Dinner

9:15 PM - Oxygenize, Optimize & Mineralize w/12 oz water (this should have been prior to dinner)

I think I had around 90 ounces of water including each 12 oz with my supplements.  I should have had one more 25 oz cup, but it was cold today and water always chills me further, even if it's room temp.  Tomorrow I might start my day with warm lemon water.

Do you have any questions regarding my Reset?  Please feel free to comment here and ask, or email me at Debi@FitNHealthyMommy.com.  I'm happy to share throughout this program.