IT'S FRIDAY BABY, MAKE YOURSELF A HOMEMADE MARG!

HAPPY FRIDAY! OK, my post the other day was a bit on the heavy side, so let's lighten things up!!

Let me tell you about my recent food blog discovery that made me LAUGH my A$$ off:

THUG KITCHEN

This food blog's unconventional approach to healthy eating is just pure genius and absolutely hysterical.  So, wander on over to their website for some good laughs and healthy recipes!

Here's a preview of what you'll find on the blog.....I just love it.

Image from Thug Kitchen

"MMMM... CHEMICAL EGGS!"

I LOVED this image from Thug Kitchen so much because it reminds me of something I would say... well, maybe not to that extreme.  If you know me well, I often joke and drop lines about fast food being "chemical" food. (How can something that doesn't rot in 2 weeks NOT have crazy preservatives in it?) My fiance will tell you this, too, because mainly I just say this stuff to him! HA. (Sorry, babe, you know I love you.)

Past example going through a Dunx drive-thru on our way to go skiing:

Fiance: "Okay, what are you having?"
Me: "Umm...just a regular coffee with skim milk."
Fiance: "No food? You want sugar in your coffee?"
Me: "Nope and nope. Got my banana, trail mix, and stevia packets!" (I carry stevia in my purse.)
Fiance: "Okay." [Turns to order]: "I'll have a sausage, egg & cheese on a croissant, 1 medium coffee with skim milk only and a medium french vanilla with skim milk & splenda."
Me [whispers under my breath]: "Splenda is chemicals."
Fiance: "Shhhh."
[We get the order. Continue driving.]
Fiance opens his sandwich, takes a big bite, turns to me and says: "MMMM CHEMICAL EGGS ARE DELICIOUS!!!!!"

And we both start laughing. Because he KNOWS that I would jokingly ask "so, hows your chemical egg????" with a big smile. But I was biting my tongue since I already dropped the Splenda comment.

In all fairness, we don't go to Dunx all that often. So, getting a sandwich from there once in awhile ISN'T going to kill you.  Plus, we were going skiing that day, so def would be burning mad calories and would need to fuel up.  BUT, we could've made our own egg sandwiches for the road in the AM- a healthier choice I KNOW my fiance would say is better because it's super delicious (I make a mean egg sandwich- see my Breakfast post for picture) and even he can admit he feels good about it afterwards.

...15 minutes after fiance finishes his sandwich, he turns to me and says:
"I feel like sh*t. Why'd you let me eat that!!"

:-)

Honestly, I'm not going to stop anyone who wants to order something I wouldn't.  I don't judge people on the food choices they make, but I do always encourage family & friends to try healthy recipes I've tried, because I care about them and want them to know eating HEALTHY can be TASTY!! It's a win-win. And Thug Kitchen's blog shows exactly that.

OK, Jackie, what's the takeaway here, it's the weekend and I ain't spending it online!

Get up an extra 10 minutes earlier before your next long car ride and make yourself a nice, fresh, egg sandwich.  Or pack up some healthy snacks the night before.

Make your own margarita mix this weekend! Guarantee it won't only taste better, but you'll be REAL PROUD of it, too. (And probably drink a little more... hey look, now you've got a good buzz on! Another win-win!) 

And if you decide to order a chemical egg sandwich or use store-bought mix in the near future, hey, THAT'S OK.  Enjoy it.  Just don't make a habit of it. :-)

X.O. Jackie

Healing Yourself

So, I know this blog is supposed to be a lighter read for those interested in getting or remaining fit and healthy, but I feel the need to vent about a medical condition I am dealing with right now.  This condition is really catapulting my urge to LIVE HEALTHFULLY and EAT WELL.  You could say it very well has sparked a lot of the diet-related and recipe posts you see and will see on this blog.

Back in October 2012, some of you may know I was hospitalized for what doctor's said was a bacterial infection that caused colitis and stomach sores. To this day, no one can really say what truly caused it, but that's what they chocked it up to.  Since then, I've been dealing with stomach and digestion issues - depending on what I eat, or if I drink - and more recently - acid reflux and gastritis.  I've gotten a colonoscopy, endoscopy, (which have luckily and thankfully all been negative) and have been on and off the phone with my gastroenterologist since I've been released from the hospital.  I am BEYOND frustrated with what's happening to me.  I really don't know if it was the infection back in October that is the cause for my recent issues/slow healing, or whether it was a combination of that, combined with stress, combined with drinking heavily on a vacation in February (probably the last one did the trick), but all I know is that I'm AT my BREAKING POINT with this thing.  I feel like I can't live my life lately and I've absolutely had it.  So, that is why I am focusing on self healing by:

• Eating a healthy diet that..
• Cuts out caffeine, alcohol, high fat foods, fried foods, spicy foods, acidic foods and chocolate (all things that can trigger stomach aggravation)
• Consists of smaller, frequent meals, with my largest being breakfast
• Includes fruit, nuts, whole grains, vegetables, lean protein, healthy fats and a small amount of dairy 
• All of which will give my body the nutrients it needs to function well and prevent diseases

• Managing stress by...
• LETTING GO of the small things that used to bother me
• Exercising DAILY
• Taking small mental breaks throughout the day
• Having patience 
• Keeping positive that I WILL heal myself through healthy living

• Keeping fit by...
• Again, exercising daily! (I teach 4 classes a week so I am already getting in a good variety of workouts from H.I.I.T. to dancing to barre/pilates to weight lifting)
• Running on the days I don't teach
• Doing something active on my "rest" day so that I am still moving my body (this can include playing volleyball by the lake, kayaking, water skiing, taking a walk, doing basketball challenges with my fiance, playing with my soon to be niece/nephew, even washing my car!)

Let me wrap up by saying this post is NOT to make anyone feel bad for me, it's to point out that following these guidelines should and will DO YOUR BODY GOOD.  (It also feels good just venting, hehe.) I can honestly say I haven't always treated my body well, especially during college years (too much alcohol).  But, it's never too late to right your self - and even those of us who are practicing healthy habits fall off the wagon once in awhile. So, whether you're struggling with your own condition and are looking to self heal, are looking to kick unhealthy habits and treat your body the way it should be treated, or are just looking to maintain your healthy ways, I hope you can take away some of these tips, and follow my blog as I post about my journey towards feeling MY ABSOLUTE BEST.  And I can only hope that my readers are on this journey with me and can take away at least 1 tip, recipe or workout, whether they are vocal about it or not. I would love to hear about YOUR situation and how you have achieved/are working towards true health and happiness. Please comment away anytime.

YOU ONLY GOT ONE, SO X.O. YOUR BODY!

End rant. :-)

Coconut-almond tofu stir fry

I made this with brown rice (not pictured) last night for a quick, yummy, and healthy stir fry dinner! My fiance even approved it! I kind of just winged it as I went, so feel free to vary up the recipe to your liking!

Note: Start the brown rice first because that will take the longest to cook!

Ingredients for stir fry:
*1 bag frozen veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, carrots (you can chop up fresh veggies if you have them on hand, but I used frozen to make it quick!)
*1 container of organic firm tofu (you want it to be somewhat firm so it's not too mushy)
*Spices to season veggies & tofu (I used a dash of salt, pepper, and a generous shaking of ground tumeric, which gave the tofu an orangey-yellow color (Quick fact about tumeric: It contains anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties!)
*1/4 cup of raw almonds
*2/3 cup of raw, unsweetened shredded coconut
*1 TBSP coconut oil to coat the pan

Directions:
1. Using a food processor (I used the Nutribullet miller blade), grind up almonds until it forms a chunky powder. Set aside.
2. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
3. While pan is heating, take tofu block and cut it both horizontally and vertically to get cube-like pieces.
4. Add coconut oil to coat pan.
5. Add in frozen veggies, stir around until thawed out.
6. Dump in tofu cubes, stir around.
7. Add seasonings, almond powder, shredded coconut and mix thoroughly (the tumeric will brighten everything up!).
8. Turn down heat to medium-low, and let everything cook together and the flavors set into the food, stirring once in awhile. (I let mine cook on the stove until my rice was ready, so about 10-15 minutes or so.)
9. Serve hot on top of 1 cup of brown rice!

Enjoy!

X.O. Jackie