Recipes!

I've been asked quite a bit to share some favorite recipes of mine, I'm not saying everything I've tried is amazing, but I definitely have a few favorites I'll pull out of my back pocket if you ask :)

I'll start real quick by answering one main question a lot of people have their own answer for (and really, this is mine). What is clean eating? For me, its eating one ingredient foods. Like, almonds. See? One ingredient. You can decide which way you want to go from there. I will not make such a bold statement as "I ONLY eat clean, because that's simply not true. I "flex diet", which means I eat for nourishment, but I also enjoy myself. I cut so much fat out of my diet before Christmas, and it actually ended in me not being very healthy, and probably being at my lowest weight since starting all this health stuff. SO, obviously not desireable. You have to find what works for YOU. And yeah, I totally fall off the wagon and eat a whole box of cheez-its in one sitting. But hey, I'm human. And I don't do it every night.

With that said, something that will help you is this read about the differences in body types. If you're serious about losing weight, body building, etc, this is a good place to start. Read the different body types and see how your body uses food. Trust me, this is a huge difference when you're talking about reaching goals in your personal journey. I am what is considered an "Ectomorph", which means my body burns through calories like crazy, characterized by a thin body, lean stringy muscles, and a fast metabolism. Duh. Its like a light went off. So, my adjusted workouts for my fitness goals are low cardio, more calories, low reps. Its a wealth of knowledge you would certainly benefit from learning.

Chicken Curry In a Hurry

1 lb chicken breasts
1 can coconut milk
2 tbsp curry
half an onion
handful of golden raisins
sea salt
1 cup rice (white/basmati)

Cook rice according to package (2 cups lightly salted water, tbsp of oil, bring to boil. Add rice. Bring to boil again. Cover, turn to low, simmer 20 min)
Slice chicken and onion. Warm pan with coconut oil (or EVOO), cook chicken, then onion until onion is translucent, adding curry and sea salt/pepper. Once chicken/onion is done, add coconut milk. Stir and warm, adding golden raisins. Serve over rice.

A friend made this once for us, and it was amazing. I can't find the original recipe, but this is what I follow. (And I'm making it again Monday!) SO yum. Kids love this!

Lime-Cilantro Chicken Tacos I don't add as much water, it tends to get runny! This is yum. If you wanted to go the extra mile, make your own taco seasoning. I think I have friends that cook well, because this is a favorite from another friend...definitely suggest shredded cheddar, sour cream, and fresh cilantro as a topping! I put extra taco seasoning out at my small group when I made it for them, and they loved it...

Turkey Black Bean Burgers I don't add the zucchini and red pepper, that's up to you. Try serving these with sweet potato wedges! I even found some frozen sweet potato fries at my local Harp's in the healthy frozen foods freezer, definitely recommend trying those if you're low on time.

KALE CHIPS These are an absolute staple. They're so so good, and really I don't know anyone who has tried them and didn't love them! Crunchy, salty, perfect chip alternative. My kids love these!!

Homemade Cauliflower Pizza Crust (choose your own toppings!!)

I'm also a huge fan of simple dinners. Like tonight, we had grilled chicken salad. You can put ANYTHING into a salad. Nuts, seeds, veggies, fruit, you name it. Drizzle with a nice vinaigrette and voila, healthy dinner.

HERE's a really great tutorial on how to crockpot a whole chicken...saving you money. You can freeze the leftovers and use them for another dinner. She even provides a link to tell you how to use the leftover juice and chicken bones to make your own chicken broth! I love doing this. Its a little time consuming, but good.

HERE's 7 different protein pancakes you can make ahead, and freeze. Easy mornings! My kids love pancakes. I don't know a kid that doesn't...and HERE's a quick homemade syrup!! Just use 2 cups raw sugar if you don't have exactly the kind she specifies...



Okay, I'll also write a quick grocery list I normally pick up, in case you'd like to see what kind of things I like to keep in stock for all those nights I neglect to plan ahead :)

Milk
Coconut Milk (I use this for my protein shakes)
Juice
Eggs (we eat tons of eggs)
Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (Cook's Natural Foods)
Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (new Harp's)
Real Vanilla
Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips (gluten/dairy/soy free)
Stevia/Turbinado Sugar/Honey (my sweeteners)
Coconut Creamer (guilt free!)
Whole Wheat Bread
Peanut Butter (organic or as close as I can get)
Granola
Greek Yogurt
Berries/Bananas/Oranges
Frozen broccoli/peas (#letsgetreal)
Avocado
Organic tortilla chips (I just personally prefer non-gmo/organic, especially on corn)
Hot dogs (Yeah! all beef, pastured cows, no preservatives)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Coconut oil (for cooking and beauty)
Chicken
Lean Beef
Tuna
Almonds
50/50 salad mix (you can pick out the spinach, chop and serve in omelettes. Or top your burgers! Not JUST salad!)
Pretzels
Carrots
Cheese/cottage cheese
Snap peas
Quinoa
Cocoa powder
Canned diced tomatoes
Black beans


You get the picture. Is that something you think you could start getting used to having around? I mean, if you had this sort of stuff readily available, would it be easier in your decision making? I would never claim this to be the holy grail on healthy eating. And that doesn't mean you can't enjoy some of the things you sometimes do, that just means you're really trying to invest in your health and making good decisions MOST of the time. Right?

Try one more thing, DRINK WATER. Your body can send an alarm to your brain when there's a slight dip in hydration, and that 90% of the time is mistaken as hunger. I drink coffee, and water. Every day. I rarely drink soda any more. There are so many benefits of drinking water, I won't go into it right now. HERE's a link if you'd like to read more on your own!

This is not hard. It does require a change of mind. BUT, you are stubborn, and you can do this. Are you ready for a lifestyle change? I hope I've helped you at the very least find a starting point. You deserve to feel amazing! I challenge you to learn more about your body, and just a little about nutrition. You might really like the changes. Let's do this.

xo
-Kes

"its like a full spectrum of catwalking..."

I haven't blogged since September. Considering I've already ran my half marathon I was training for, I guess I could highlight everything since then!

The half marathon was amazing. I actually injured my right knee (my left knee was the one I was so ghastly afraid of hurting. Go figure). I've run maybe 3 times since then, and every time it pains me. I plan to see a chiroprator that practices ART (Active Release Therapy), which is basically immediate recovery and tons less expensive than going for an MRI. I just hate that Walmart Blue Cross/Blue Shield doesn't cover a visit like that. You'd think if it saves them money in the long run, they'd be for it. Unfortunately, though I have a right mind to call them up and argue my case, I know the answer will still be no. Sort of like picking your battles with your child. I'm just ready to quit feeling like I have to baby it, I really hate knowing I can't do something too. Its worth it to me to stick it to whatever invisible man is holding me down in that arena!

What have I been doing? Working out, reading up on nutrition, and experimenting with random hippie-inducing name calling activities I can find. I can't decide if its hippie, or homesteading, or semi-naturalist. I assure you though, I'm still completely normal :)

I've made tons of progress since September and even changed up my eating habits to achieve my goals in fitness. Some of you probably already know it because I can't shut up about it on Instagram (you're welcome by the way for only forcing it upon you on one social media outlet!) If you think it will make you manly to lift and drink protein, you're completely finger-pointing-while-I-laugh wrong. I just want to be strong...

Reading about my body type, "ectomorph". (Which means my body burns calories quickly and requires more calories and little cardio if I plan on adding weight and muscle. I'm actually taking mass gainer protein currently, about an extra 800 calories a day.) This is a 2 month change after realizing how sick I looked, not eating for my right goals and body type...

I'm at a healthier weight now, though I really wish I could control where it goes (aka, not hips and stomach!)

I've also been trying out yoga for flexibility and strength training...

There's just something about knowing you can do it that makes you want to achieve more. Like small wins, every.single.day. And who doesn't like winning? And you know fitness winning is better than Charlie Sheen winning...I am mastering my body, and it all starts with your mind. Get your mind in check, and you can tell your body to do anything.


I tried out for NWA Fashion Week again this year, and am signed up for four shops. FOUR! Though its something of a schedule and job just to keep the fittings and run throughs in order, I'm excited to do something out of my comfort zone again. Wanna know what shops? I bet you do, you nosy little creeper you! SOHO Clothiers, Judith & James, Country Outfitters, and Co-Ed Co-Op. I know, its like a full spectrum of catwalking, so many different styles! I've been practicing my blue steel face, and as it turns out, I actually look like a troll that's trying WAY too hard. If its not my eyebrow that has a mind of its own (Tierra syndrome, no less), then its my right jaw. That's right, just one side that won't cooperate. Couple that with my scars by my left eye from my car accident, and you'd think the right thing to do would either be to smile or hand me a brown paper bag. I'm totally okay with both. #thingsyoulearnaboutyourself #youareyourworstcritique

Last Sunday we did a spring shoot for Vintage Crush, and it was so fun! I'll share a couple of my favorites. Desiree makes it so fun and easy, really just a great, laid back, girly afternoon. Who doesn't love those?

I'm trying out a new "ShamPHree" method, aka shampoo free approach to healthy hair. It sounds gross. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit weirded out by it. I'm pretty sure its because it makes me (like most people) feel like there's not another way to clean your scalp other than what I've known all my life. And that's what makes it strange. I'd still stand on the same side as you if you pointed to me and simply said "Freaking weirdo." Because it is. BUT, that's also a culturally learned statement we have hard wired into our brains. Or so I've been enlightened of lately. Using a tablespoon of baking soda in warm water, you pour it over your scalp. And then a table spoon of apple cider vinegar in the same warm cup of water, as your conditioner. Its not actually been too bad, today will be my third day of experimenting. I'm also going to start using coconut oil as a deep conditioner once a week. I've heard its a miracle! I've switched to it as my moisturizer and love the way it feels. Its also a natural anti-microbial, so couple that with the apple cider vinegar I already use as a toner, and its less breakout heaven. I don't have terrible skin in the first place I guess, but I really like the results so far.

Randomness:

(Dog sitting)

(Valentine's party)

(Date night!)

(Tiny yogii)

She drinks coffee like mommy, two stevia scoops and coconut creamer.

Snow. Never ending winter.

Naps all around...

(Car rides with my favorite first grader!)

(Christmas pajama party)

To be so care free. This is beautiful and priceless to me.

Oh yes, and my stunning husband graduates in May with a bachelors in business. So SO proud of that guy!! It's been a long and busy road, but it will be so worth it. I'm excited to see what this will bring for him!

Enough for now. XO
Kes

"...a woman to be reckoned with."

Having found no time (although it has been in abundance this week, it still eludes me when the words "have to", "need to", or "am planning to" come near)to run this week, I decided to make sure time was made for it this morning. I usually like to wait until Doug is home, but he's been so busy with work and school, and during his off time he has his handful with me crying because he didn't want to eat an almond sandwich (no joke). My half marathon is in 6-7 weeks, its really important I actually stay consistent...



I haven't run pushing her in almost a year. It started off well enough, obviously convincing myself I wouldn't be breaking any new personal records...

This is for any mom who has ever expected this the entire run:



After all, she almost never gets to play with it. SURELY it will entertain her long enough to finish my run...


"What is that?"

"I don't know. A bug."

"Why can't I see it?"

"They're in a cave."

"Why you breathing like that, mom?"

"Cause its hard to push you..."

"Your face is red."

"I know."

"Why are we turning around?"

"We have to run back now."

"Look at that dog mom. Look. She's cuuute. Did you see her? Mom!"

"YES. SO cute."

"Are we going to the beach?"

"No. Its a lake."

"Addie's going to be so mad we're going to the lake?"

"No. She won't care."

"I dropped my flip flock!"



And my favorite...


"Why are you stopping? Why are you not running? Mom!"

"BECAUSE!!!! Lily, I love to talk to you, but I can't talk when I'm running and pushing you!!"

"But, why you can't talk?"



I will no longer gaily trot past another mom pushing a stroller. Now that I have seen the other side, I will try as laboriously as possible to run slowly past moms who struggle uphill, I will not complain again about producing the strength necessary to carry my OWN weight for the length of the run. Perhaps they will be invigorated, thinking to themselves, "Man, she's really struggling. I must be a kick ass runner." Because every mom who runs pushing a stroller deserves a medal, or at least some acknowledgement for their incredible will power. I think we shall make a hand sign just for these ladies, just as bikers display when passing each other on the highway. (What a cool gang that must be)

Because really, a mom who can run WITHOUT music (let's face it, there's honestly no running 'in the zone' when you have to pause your music constantly because your four year old has a sudden case of 'the gabs') is a woman to be reckoned with. You.guys.rock.




And, HEAVEN FORBID, you should forget to make sure baby bear is buckled in the beginning...




I'm finally seeing more of a significant change since learning to do squats right, and actually doing them consistently. Ladies, for real. This is where its at. Left is June of this year, right is just last week (you instagrammers have already seen this, but since I'm so happy with my results, I'm posting on here too :D) Anything I post is for motivation, and surely if I can do it, you can too. I'm encouraging you to start doing a little research, and starting a small exercise routine. You'll never be unhappy with the results!

Food ideas and pictures from recent:




And this one just because I loooove it, so vintage newspaper style, taken on a beautiful little hay field in Gravette, AR...




xo
Kes

So, I decided to make a board for Doug on Pinterest on Men's Fashion.

So, I decided to make a board for Doug on Pinterest on Men's Fashion. I find the following...



There are no words. I could spend hours laughing. Just type in "Mens Scarf" and instantly feel better about your life. You're welcome!!

P.S. For some reason, I imagine the last being a sci-fi centaur still. No?

I cringe at what he says, and the words coming out of my mouth.

Do you KNOW just how fascinating the world of "clean eating" actually is? Its almost like a sport, seeing what new ways you can create and satisfy your cravings with. AND, there are things you can even make that are just like the foods you would eat on cheat day. The trick is, you have to do it all yourself. Stay with me here, I can imagine I lost a few people with that last statement. I'm not exactly sure what I find fascinating about all the delicious recipes, maybe its the way you feel after eating something so guilt free. So yes, in my last post (which hit nearly 250 views, WAY more within 3 hours than even the sassy Fashion Week picture posts received. Wowza, thanks BlogNation! And a big hello to my friends in Turkey, France, Ukraine, Austrailia, Canada!) I promised to try and blog a few recipes that I just can't keep to myself.

Kale Meatloaf with Kale Chips (and eggplant)

Since I can't read image source code, I'm just going to wing it and assume I'm writing in the right spots :) I know, I'm so tech savvy. This was AMAZING. The kale chips are what truly made it. I don't think I'll ever look at kale with distaste again!! I'm not joking, IMMEDIATELY go to your nearest grocery store and pick up some (organic, c'mon now) kale and take it home to do this. Oven to 400 degrees, coat kale in olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, bake 6-8 minutes until crispy. Do NOT over bake these babies. They're not as good when they're brown (who would have thought?).

Kale Meatloaf Recipe. I mostly followed this, except I used breadcrumbs instead of bread. I'll copy the recipe for you guys who hate clicking around!

a half bunch (4 or 5 large leaves, ribs removed) of kale, torn up
a hunk of bread the size of a tennis ball, torn into pieces (day old Stickboy sandwich white works great)
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound very lean ground beef
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
a generous amount of freshly ground pepper
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. In food processor or blender, combine kale leaves, pieces of bread, garlic cloves, and olive oil. Pulse until kale leaves are broken down, then process until mixture forms a coarse paste. Scrape mixture into a large bowl.

2. To kale mixture in bowl, add all remaining ingredients. Using your hands, lightly and consistently combine all the ingredients until the mixture is uniform.

3. Form mixture into a meatloaf about 2 inches high in an oval shape. (*) Place loaf on 9x13 baking dish lined with parchment paper. Place in preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer registers 160 F. Let meatloaf rest on cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

* You can make this dish ahead up to this point. Then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap for up to two days.

I found some grass finished beef at Cook's in Rogers, apparently most cows that are grass fed are grain finished for the last 120 days before being (happily and gently, in my head) taken so that they fatten up and have the flavor we as consumers love so much. Or at least, this is what I have learned from a guy there. I cringe at what he says, and the words coming out of my mouth. I just can't handle his demeanor. It takes all I have not to run away from this store. I just really don't want to be a snooty health freako. To me, it was okay. Not really worth the extra $3/lb. You can totally skip this beef, its not anything astronomical. Unless...you ARE...THAT person... I bought it to try it, won't do it again I don't think.

See my new best friend?! (Well, almost. We are currently not on good terms because she cut off the tip of my thumb. That sucker is SHARP.) I've named her Lucy. Lucy is sooo fancy, all the other blenders/processors envy her sleek manufactured quality. She's my birthday present, and I'm so excited to try some new recipes with her!!

Protein Pancakes!! These are so fun, I made the first recipe, which uses rolled oats and cottage cheese (weird, ehh? The creativity of some of these recipes cracks me up). I've been taking whey protein after any exercise, and I think I'm starting to see a difference. Whey is supposed to help your muscles build back up after you exercise. I did some research and found that Optimum Nutrition Whey Protein is some of the purest and best, and I bought vanilla so I could mix it into recipes.

I'll copy:

Everything-in-One Protein Pancakes: It’s a one-stop shop pancake! Take 1/3 cup of oatmeal (not instant), 1/3 cup of low fat (1%, no salt added) cottage cheese and three egg whites combined with your sweetener of choice, one teaspoon of vanilla, one or two packets of Stevia or a quarter scoop of vanilla protein powder if you really need that extra protein boost. Mix it all together in a food processor or blender to make a “batter.” Pour half of the batter in a preheated, pre-greased pan and cook on both sides. Repeat with the remaining batter. These pancakes are pretty sweet on their own, but you can top them with fresh fruit, sugar-free syrup or jelly.

Nutrition Facts (without the protein powder or toppings): 211 calories, 25.8 grams of protein, 22 grams of carbs, 1.9 grams of fat and 2.5 grams of fiber.

I made granola! I have an abundance of rolled oats because I overestimated how much I would need (whoops), so I decided to try this yummy recipe! I follow @MAMA4MOTIVATION on Instagram, and she's totally into this work out and eating clean lifestyle, which really motivates me. And it doesn't hurt that her recipes always look AMAZING. I feel like she's real, because she makes healthy versions of foods I would normally crave. Plus, she shares in my love for nut butter :D

I will stress, this is HER recipe!!

3 C. Rolled Oats
1 TSP cinnamon
3 TBSP coconut sugar (I used raw)
MIX

(separate bowl)
1/3 C. Melted Coconut Oil
1/3 C. Raw Honey
1 TSP Vanilla
2 TBSP Creamy Peanutbutter

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Mix wet ingredients well, pour over dried. Spread mixture over cookie sheet, bake for 15 minutes. Stir. Bake for an additional 10 minutes until golden brown. YUM. Mix with your choice of dried fruit, and maybe some dark chocolate, and you've got breakfast all week!! Store in air tight container.

Lunch idea...open face lemon dill yellowfin tuna, and hummus with pico de gallo rice chips.

Hummus Recipe (copied):

2 clove garlic
1 can (16 oz.) garbanzo beans...half liquid reserved, otherwise drained
4 TBSP lemon juice
2 TSP tahini (this is sesame seed paste, which I didn't have. Definitely would like to try some soon!)
1 TSP salt
Black Pepper to taste
2 TBSP olive oil

In a blender, chop the garlic. Pour garbanzo beans into blender, reserving about a tablespoon for garnish. Place lemon juice, tahini, chopped garlic and salt in blender. Blend until creamy and well mixed. Transfer the mixture to a medium serving bowl. Sprinkle with pepper and pour olive oil over the top. Garnish with reserved garbanzo beans.

I blended it all together in my food processor. Ain't nobody got time for all that.

And I don't know WHY I'm in love with substituting noodles with vegetables. I think the thought just amazes me. I might not even eat real noodles again. Seriously. Its that good. I LOVE the zucchini noodles (which I bought a julienne peeler for, yay!!), and these spaghetti squash noodles were pretty bomb. They were fun to make too. Just cut lengthwise, take the seed and goop out, bake cut side down for 45 minutes at 350. Of course, if you had a big one, you'd have to cook them longer. They're a little like al dente noodles if you want to know what kind of texture to expect. They're not super soft, but you could pan fry them a little to make them softer. But really, ain't nobody got time for that...toss with chopped sun dried tomatoes, olive oil, parsley, sea salt, black pepper. Yum.

The chicken is stuffed with sun dried tomato feta mix, and seasoned on the outside with Old Bay. So good together.


Okay, I'm seeing some improvements lately with my actual workouts. I get my cardio from training for my half marathon, which I'm attempting to build a schedule to train for. 3-4 miles Monday, 6 miles Wednesday, and 9-10 miles Friday/Saturday. With all this rain though, its putting a stick in my mud. I've been doing some floor exercises using my own body weight (haha, just read it). 100 lunges, 200 squats, 50 backwards crunches, kettlebell exercises, and abs/planks. I feel so much better when I'm consistent!

The world's TINIEST calf muscle!! What what!! Please laugh with me.

And also the world's tiniest quads! I'm hoping taking these pictures will make me feel better months down the road when there's actually something there.

And how stinking cute is this blanket?! A friend of mine asked me to make a weighted blanket, so off I went to try and figure out how to make this. Weighted blankets are thought to really help children with sensory issues, ADHD, hyperactive children, and a whole broad spectrum of autism. Its to make them feel secure and safe so they can rest. I just thought it was so cool. They're filled with various different fillers, this one with plastic pellets. Its actually kind of nice, I almost want one for myself...

We had a tour of realtors come today, they made their rounds in this side of Bella Vista traveling in a group to each house so they could get an idea of what to expect if they refer it to someone. We have someone coming tomorrow to look at our house now too, prayers please!! Its just begun, but cleaning this house in a mad frenzy is getting old. Hahah...

Peacelove.
Kes