Chipotle Quinoa

I have honestly never liked chipotle. I love every pepper in the world it seems, with this exception. I found this recipe as well in the the Food Matters Cookbook and decided to give it a try. I was blown away, both by the great flavor of the dish and the heat of the chipotle... a great thing! If you don't like spice, don't add any of the adobo sauce and just use one pepper.

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 T minced garlic
2 canned chipotle chiles, minced with some sauce
1 tsp dried oregano
3/4 cup quinoa
salt and black pepper
1 cup cooked or canned black beans, drained
1/2 cup corn
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
lime wedges

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook until onion is clear. Add peppers and adobo, and oregano. Turn heat up to medium-high, add quinoa, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir frequently for a few minutes. Add beans, corn, stock and boil. Stir, reduce heat to low and cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

Ma-Po Tofu without the fluff!

When I lived in China, I was always all over Ma-Po Tofu. It's normally stir-fried with pork, but I'm obviously cooking without pork these days. I modified this recipe from an incredible cookbook I picked up a while back, called The Food Matters Cookbook. It's got all kinds of great plant-based recipes, with meat included as well, just not the star of the dishes. This dish surprised both my husband and I in that it was so good! He's a meat-lover by all standards, and thoroughly enjoyed this. I swear, it was danged-delicious!

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 T minced ginger
1/2 tsp chile flakes, to taste
1/2 cup chopped scallions
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup vegetable stock
14 oz firm tofu, cut into cubes
2 T soy sauce
salt
black pepper
1 drizzle sesame oil

Heat oil in large skillet. Add garlic, ginger and chile flakes until they sizzle. Add scallions, tomatoes, and stock. Cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant, then add tofu. Stir occasionally until heated through. Stir in soy sauce, salt, black pepper, and sesame oil. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Roasting Seaweed

I've posted a while back about how great of a snack seaweed is. I love it with a bit of rice. In some households, kids eat chicken fingers all day. Well in mine growing up, my brother and I were all over seaweed and rice. I guess we both still are! You can buy little packets of it in the store, but it's incredibly expensive, especially when it takes all of 5 minutes to do in your own kitchen and it tastes so much more fresh.

This is all you need:
A package of seaweed... as much of it as you like.
A brush for food
sea salt
sesame oil
large pan... my mom just used her stove top

Lay out each piece of seaweed, paint on thin coat of sesame oil, then sprinkle with the amount of salt to your preference. I love salt so I throw it on very generously. You may want to hold back and just sprinkle a very light amount. With the pan heated on high, use your fingers or a tong to lay a piece of seaweed in there for about 3 seconds (until it starts to crinkle a little) then flip for a couple of seconds and continue until all seaweed is done. You can chop it into fourths, which is what I prefer since I like a mouth full of seaweed, or into sixths which is what is normal. Serve it alone or with a teaspoon of rice per piece of seaweed for a light lunch or snack.

Edamame and vegetable pasta

Has anyone read The China Study? I have had many reasons to stop eating dairy in the past, but after reading this book, I'm sold. No more dairy, very little (if any) meat, and I'm sticking with my veggies!

It's not that I'm so easily sold by reading a book by a former farmer who did a huge study to prove and directly link dairy and meat to cancer, Alzheimer's and chronic disease. It's more that I was wanting a good reason to stop eating meat. I'm not a fan of it in the first place, and I hate the way dairy makes me feel. I used to go to bed at night feeling guilty if I didn't eat a piece of animal protein at every meal. Yes, I'm free now! If you haven't read the book, go get it!

Anyway, this is my first night of yummy plant-based eating. I made a delicious pasta with my favorite vegetables, and here's the recipe.

1 package brown rice pasta
2 T sesame oil, divided
1 cup steamed and shelled edamame
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
5 cloves of garlic, minced (I love garlic, but if you don't, just put 2 cloves)
heaping handful of spinach
1/4 cup soy sauce, or liquid aminos, reduced sodium preferred
pinch black pepper
pinch of crushed Korean red pepper (or just red pepper if that's what you have)

Boil pasta according to package directions then drain. In a large pan or wok, heat 1 T sesame oil. Once hot, add the garlic and onion until onion is wilted. Toss in the spinach and edamame and stir. Turn the heat down to medium-low, then add the pasta and remaining ingredients. So easy and so yummy! You can add whatever vegetables you want. Mushrooms would be a great addition to this!

The Exclusive Mom Group

I know I write a lot lately (when I do) about baby stuff, as opposed to the recipes I used to post often. Yes, I still cook everyday and eat healthy, but pictures have been more of a chore than necessary. So, here's another post about mom-hood.

Recently, there has been an uproar about Maria Kang and her losing weight after having a baby and not being a good mom because she focuses on her body. Well, that happens all the time. Women lose weight and they get bashed by fellow moms because they lost weight faster than others. Why does it matter? Why are women so hateful? Why are moms so hateful?

When I became a mom, I learned quite quickly that when you become a mom, you do not suddenly become a part of a great, supportive group of individuals who have all been through similar situations as yourself. You have to fit a group based on criteria. You have to have lost weight at a slow rate to prove you love breastfeeding more than you do your body or you love bonding with your baby more than you love being slim. You have to love only talking about your teething child, your child's poop, your kid's adorable act of peeing in the tub as soon as you put him in it.... the list goes on. 

I started working out as soon as I could move comfortably because I become depressed when I don't get out and about. I have to be myself to be happy and to be a good mother. Going to work out for an hour makes me come home to my baby with a lighter, happier attitude. Clearing my head allows me to think straight and not forget when to put him down for a nap or feed him or change his diaper. Getting away from him makes me want to spend more quality time with him when I am. And to be honest, I don't like talking all about my child. I love him, but I am with him about 23 hours per day and like to talk about other things as well. It's like with the Navy. I don't like talking about the Navy spouse stuff all the time with other navy spouses because I live that stuff with my husband. I don't enjoy talking about baby stuff with other moms because I want to get out of my head a little. I enjoy talking with my non-mom friends mostly because I can talk about books, or movies, or workouts, or the next best coffee on the market. However, it's hard talking to some of my non-mom friends because it's hard to hear someone without kids say how exhausted they are and how long their work hours are when your work hours are 24/7, literally. 

It's a tough spot, really. There are people who don't hate me for who I am (maybe because they've known me for too long or are related to me) and I'm thankful for that select group of women. I'm here to help people who want my help (losing weight, getting stronger, getting motivated, an ear to hear things out), and am certainly not here to judge. Beginning with the breastfeeding "support group" when my little guy was a newborn, I knew right away there's no such thing as a support group full of women who are constantly judging one another. Women are so mean, and women with babies aren't much nicer. I take that back, there are some really awesome ones, but mostly ones who had kids 10 years ago or so (and some with babies) who don't care how much more weight you lost or how quickly your kid is learning to walk or whatever, thank you to all of you ladies.

I know I touched on all of this with my Postpartum journey post, but it's seriously ridiculous. Can we all just be nice? Goodness, we're the strongest group of individuals in the world, who work our butts off and never get a sick day. I'm pretty sure we're all superheroes and should start being more supportive of our fellow superheroes without pre-judging one another. 

My "Real" Postpartum Journey (As REAL as Yours)

I had the most perfect baby I could never have dreamed up, 8 months ago. I had him via C-section, which made me consider myself a complete failure for several months. I think I probably still do, in the back of my head. However, I know I'm a great mom who couldn't love my child more, and that makes me feel better. He's smart, strong, and just blows me away with how far he has come. We had our struggles that most moms and babies have... recovery, breastfeeding, sleepless nights.... the norm. There is one thing (other than my supportive husband) that helped me to maintain my sanity regardless of sleeping 2 hours at a time, if that. I continued my exercise regime I had before and during pregnancy.

Prior to becoming pregnant, so many parents told me I would never be able to uphold my clean eating or exercise regime after having a baby. People still tell to me wait until he's older, but they're the same people who told me having a baby will keep me from maintaining my healthy lifestyle. I work out 1-2 hours per day using heavy weights and doing cardio, which consists of running or using the stepper or stairmill. That's the one hour my son gets to play with other little kids in the nursery at the gym, or have daddy time. Yes, I work, but I always make sure to get in my time at the gym or on the stepper at home. For the other hour, I take my son with me on a run or again have him with his daddy. I wake up early, even if that means 4 AM or earlier or get it in after my husband gets off work. You make time for what is important, and keeping myself healthy and reaching my goals is important to me.

I have a bucket list. It's not the normal bucket list that most people have. Mine is completely dependent upon and based around pregnancies. After meeting my husband, I went from wanting to be a CI and not wanting any children to being excited to work everyday as a personal trainer and wanting lots of babies. So, I built my list around babies. After my first, I wanted to do a fitness competition. I followed through, with the help of a well-known trainer, Nick Navas at Rockstar Gym. I know a lot about losing weight and being fit. However, I didn't know the first thing about the competition level. I looked the best I've ever looked, was the leanest and most toned I have ever been, and it was all 8 months after having my baby boy. That took some hard work. I dieted more strictly than I ever have for 8 weeks. I'm not saying everyone should strive to look that lean, because I know I don't like the the way that that level of lean feels. However, one should strive to be healthy and eat clean. I want my children to know that their parents believe health is important and that health can be fun. My husband and I enjoy taking our son on bike rides and runs. We cook clean, healthy foods that taste great and make you feel good. We enjoy eating out or even enjoy our nachos and fries every now and then. The point is, 90% of the time, we eat healthy so that 10% of the time what we eat doesn't really matter. What I did learn from the competition is: A. health doesn't come in any particular size or shape and B. if you stop making excuses and complaining for long enough, you can do anything. You can be a size 8 and be perfectly healthy so long as you eat healthy, lift weights, do some form of cardio and enjoy life. You can be a size 0 and look good but not be healthy if you're fatigued all of the time and feel like you're wading through life because you're so tired from over-exertion. When it comes to making excuses, I did a 5K the day after my competition. I heard a guy in line talking about how he doesn't run well in the afternoon and he ate something heavy earlier so he doesn't know if he'll run well. I realized after all of my workouts how funny and ridiculous that sounded. I used to do the same exact thing. Now, however, I just do it. If I can exercise 2-3 hours per day and chase around a baby after it all and work, all on 1000-1400 calories, I can do anything. I will never again make excuses about why I can't do a cardio workout that day or how I don't have time to get my lifting in or not do something because I'm too tired.

What do people like me eat? Well, when not dieting for the competition, I eat lots of lean protein such as broiled fish, grilled chicken, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains such as quinoa and amaranth. When I eat pasta, it's quinoa pasta. When I eat breaded chicken, it's breaded with oats and baked in the oven. When I eat oatmeal, it's not full of sugar but made with cinnamon and stevia as well as fruit. When I eat fries, they're oven baked. There are lots of ways to make a comfort food healthy. My biggest pet peeve is when people who are thin or fit lie about what they eat or say they eat ridiculous foods like turkey all the time or nothing but egg whites and chicken. That's not sustainable, and if you are on a journey to be healthy, don't believe these people. You do not have to eat like a bird to look good. As long as you eat clean and exercise daily, you will be a healthy individual.

I lied, I have a bigger pet peeve. I can not stand when people talk about "real women" having curves or being a size 12 or whatever. What's worse, is when people say what a "real mom" looks like. A "real mom" apparently has to have stretch marks and flab on her belly or be overweight because "real moms" don't have time to eat healthy, exercise, AND love their baby. According to the ridiculous people who think this, I don't love my baby. Well, I'm a size 0/2, have a tight stomach, don't have boobs worth mentioning, and I love my baby more than anything or anyone, and he is second only to God. I will do anything for him and have a love so fierce for him that I become a different person when anyone even mentions his name.

I'm a real mom. I love my baby. All moms are real, regardless of what they look like, how they birthed their child, or (and especially if) they didn't birth their child at all, but in an incredible act of love and selflessness, adopted their child. A mom is real if she loves her child. A mom is healthy if she is happy and takes care of herself. If you're a mom, take care of yourself and make yourself a priority. Keep reaching for your goals, because they are still important. It's important for your child or children to see that you are still important to you. And please, for the love of humanity, stop calling out what is real and what isn't when it comes to people. We are all real.

And if you want to know what else is on my bucket list, here it is....
1. fitness competition- check!
2. full ironman
3. crossfit games

And by the way, I was big.

Me at 40 weeks.

Me 1 week postpartum.

Me 8 months postpartum.

I want to thank some awesome moms who have inspired and continue to inspire me with their healthy lifestyle, strength and endurance, their ability to work 40+ hours a week, running around with their busy children, and who just kick butt at life. You guys do it all and prove it's all possible. You know who you are.... Missy H, Kim S, Kim P, Caroline E, Tiffany W, Jean P, Marti C, Amy M, Jennifer P, Holly S, Joanne H, Chi Chi M, Leticia, Christy R... There are so many of you and I'm sorry if I left you out but you women are awesome. I'm so thankful I have people like you to look up to!

Breast-feeding: For my Fitness Fanatic and Clean Eating Friends

I would like to start off by saying that I do not mean to be offensive in any way. One thing I don’t do, since having a baby, is judge a woman, especially based on her parenting. Whether you nurse or bottle-feed, or had a natural birth or C-section… that is all you and you probably have great reasons to have done so. I know mom-guilt and I don’t plan on laying any more of that on anyone.

I was prepared for the initial pain of breastfeeding. I was ready to grin and bare it for as long as it took. I read all of the books so I could take charge of any issues. I learned about thrush, heavy letdown, and how to increase milk supply. I knew that I could breastfeed because I am not one of the 5% of women with banana boobs who can’t do so (that is supposedly the only reason a woman can’t breastfeed). That’s what “The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding” by the La Leche League says anyway. But then again, that ignoramus also covered a whole couple of chapters on how a woman who gave birth via c-section can’t love her baby as much as a woman who had a natural birth. Really? I’m pretty sure I love my baby as much as the next person because I chose to give birth to my baby alive the only way I could do so, and I don’t think I could love anything or anyone as much as I love my little guy.

Anyhow, I want to share with my fitness fanatic and clean eating friends something no one warned me about. I didn’t find it in any book, nor did any doctor or nurse or lactation consultant tell me about it until after it happened.  First off exercise, nor restricting calories, nor losing weight quickly, affects milk supply. In fact, nothing at all affects milk supply except for your baby’s demand, as long as you eat plenty of protein, Vitamin B and stay well hydrated. Unless you have rare issues, you will produce the AMOUNT of milk your baby needs. That’s a fact. Another fact: The amount you pump is not the amount your baby eats. Check out Kellymom.com… the average amount a woman can pump is somewhere between 2-3 ounces per feeding. In the beginning I could only pump .5 oz but could pump an easy 3 weeks later. Your baby is most likely eating much more than that.

Now comes what happens that we aren’t told. My baby wasn’t gaining weight as quickly as the doctor wanted, which I was fine with. He was in about the 1^st-3^rd percentile for his first 3 months. That was okay since my husband and I are both small people. I was holding off on supplementing because I thought I had all the issues covered. Then he went a couple weeks without gaining any weight, at just shy of 3 months. The day I decided to switch to formula, I pumped and studied my milk. It never occurred to me before that my milk should probably not be clear with just a faint tinge of white. Maybe it should look like…. Milk? That day I went to the lactation consultant and she said I would have to up the fat in my diet, by maybe the equivalence of half a jar of peanut butter at this point to up the fat in my milk. I was giving my poor baby SKIM MILK! His pediatrician confirmed this, and I switched him over immediately. I couldn’t understand before why he was eating around the clock, literally. I had milk out the wazoo, baby had ridiculously saturated diapers, and I could pump what he needed and he would have milk running all over his face when he ate. My milk just didn’t have the calories necessary.  I would have been happy to up the fat in my diet if it were his first week of life, but he had already gone 3 months without fat, so I wasn’t going to experiment with his diet at this point. I was going to mom up and do what I knew would be best for him.

I’m not an expert on any of this. I’m just sharing my experience. After I went through this, I looked up a few cases where babies of vegans were dying from “SIDS”. They later discovered the vegan diets the mothers were on didn’t contain fat, and the mothers themselves had a low level of body fat so the babies couldn’t get fat from the milk. My little guy gained a pound a week ever since we switched… I’m sure it will level out in the next couple of weeks once he catches up to where he should be weight-wise. He’s still in the 9^th percentile after 1 month on formula, but he is gaining (obviously) very steadily. He is a completely different baby now and sleeps through the night, is happy all the time, and only starts to cry if he’s hungry, which we catch before that happens. I always thought I had the world’s most perfect baby, but he is so incredibly perfect now that he’s so happy. Poor thing was happy even when he was hungry… he’s a champ.

As soon as I find out I’m pregnant again, I am going to go crazy on fats. Avocados, nut butters, butter, cheese, full fat yogurt, meats, nuts and seeds… I’m getting it all in. Even if I am like the last pregnancy where the thought of food with fats (meat) made me nauseous. I’m sucking it up because I loved nursing like I’ve never loved doing anything else. We now have an infant scale as well, so I can make sure the next one gains like he should be on a calorie-dense milk supply. I’m also saving a tube of pumped milk to test and compare to my next supply so that I can be confident that I’m giving my baby what he needs to thrive.

By the way, I have done everything possible to breastfeed. Everything. I don’t need any more questions like “Are you sure it wasn’t your supply?” or “Maybe your baby is just small?” because I’ve got it all covered now. Don’t you hate when someone tries to give you advice you never asked for? This post certainly isn’t meant to be such, I just know that I wish I knew something like this in the beginning so that I could possibly still be nursing right now, because it really is the best bonding experience in the world.