Brea Getting Fit » health

Fresh and Clean

breefawn — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 02:01:03 +0000

I LOVE a clean house almost as much as I love vegan nachos (okay…I’ll admit, maybe a little bit more). I’m OFFICIALLY 9 months pregnant, and don’t think that the “nesting” phase has kicked in, it’s just escalated. I think that I may be driving Ish NUTS with all of my disinfecting, dusting and requests for him to vacuum (I developed carpal tunnel, so sweeping, mopping, and vacuuming KILLS my wrists right now). BUT, I have a CLEAN house, and it’s FANTASTIC!! I even have a clean sewing room!!! My mom will actually have a place to sleep when she comes to help with the Tater! HOORAY! I have discovered along the way that some of my tried and true cleaning products contain some scary, scary stuff, though…. AND I also found that Clorox gives me a migraine. I can’t believe that I never made the connection before!!

OOH! AND we also got a bbq!! It was Ish’s Father’s Day present (which I realize is incredibly early), and it’s been WONDERFUL. So far my favorites are grilled fajita veggies with guacamole and smashed black beans AND my grilled portabella sammies. YUM! I cannot wait to try out my new Outset F107, Bamboo Skewers w/natural finish (wide/12 this weekend, either!! The plan is to use zucchini, squash, crimini mushrooms, bell peppers, and red onions with some fajita seasoning. I cannot WAIT!! I love summer!

How do you GREEN your house?

breefawn — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:32:36 +0000

As the green movement becomes more and more recognized, it has caused me to rethink how we address our home…. Given that I’m vegan, I was quite surprised to discover that my life wasn’t very green. NOT GOOD. I am proud to say that in the past month I’ve rid our house of paper towels, started composting, AND am working on making some cloth napkins (so that our unpaper …LOVE IT!… towels don’t get used up quite so fast…thanks, Ish! LOL So…what do you do to be more “green” and environmentally friendly.

I would LOVE to recycle, but we’re outside city limits, so the garbage company doesn’t provide that service…. Something to look into! Do you use green household products? Do you have a reusable lunch bag? Or baggies? Do you compost (LOVING my composter!!)? Do you buy green products? Do you get your kids involved? Do you have a favorite site? Or brand? Do you freeze meals?

Spinning

breefawn — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 01:47:03 +0000

I went to my very first spinning class today…. It was GREAT! I asked a friend if she would like to try Spinning with me earlier this week, and we decided that Thursday night was the day. I showed up for class, VERY apprehensive, armed with my water bottle and my towel. I quickly learned that spinning is NOT as easy as it looks! First of all…adjusting the height of the bike is a workout in and of itself! Then I discovered that I probably should have had my seat a few notches lower…notes to self for the next class. We went to an “intermediate” class…and I am absolutely TERRIFIED of the “advanced” classes. The intermediate class was 40 minutes, which did end up flying by, what with all the hills and jumps and hovers…I didn’t know that a bike could make my hip flexors hurt!! The instructor completely rocked, and was very good about letting us know when to change our pace. I will say that the saddle was somewhat uncomfortable…my hip bones were hurting every time I sat down! I noticed that one of the regulars brought in a gel seat cover…I’m thinking that needs to go on my Christmas list!! I wore my Heart Rate Monitor to the class, and was REALLY excited to learn that I burned 500 calories! HOORAY for me!! I definitely think that I am going to add Spinning to my routine…now I just have to figure out how to convince my body to get up at 4:30 am!

Numminess

breefawn — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:41:51 +0000

I love finding good, cheap recipes that make me say “nummy” (hence the name of this blog). Lately, it feels like I’m only cooking a few days a week, and freezing the leftovers for later…. That’s not a bad thing, but I find so many great recipes that I want to try…then I forget about them later when Ish asks for my chili or spaghetti (the two favorites lately). So I’ve started a “must make soon” file. I think that my goal for the coming month will be to try one new recipe a week. That should keep me happy (and busy) and help find new numminess that must be added to our family’s favorites. I think that I feel compelled to write about cooking because I’ve been at the grocery store every day this week. Yup, that’s right…I actually think that it’s an excuse to use my new favorite shopping bags! (If you didn’t know already, Reusable Shopping Bags by Flip & Tumble are my new favorite thing. In fact, you can enter for a chance to win your VERY OWN lime green Flip & Tumble here. HURRY, though! The contest ends TOMORROW!!) That aside, I went shopping earlier this week for chili fixin’s…and discovered that when I returned home I was out of the main ingredient: black beans. NO GOOD. Back to the store I went, and I think that the lady in the checkout line must have though I was NUTS for buying 10 cans of black beans. I have dried beans, but they take FOREVER to cook, and when Ish wants chili…better now than later! That being said, my little mishap made me realize that if want numminess on demand, I have to remember to check my kitchen staples. Everyone is different, but my pantry always has a variety of beans, canned and dried, seasonings, tomatoes in all shapes and sizes (canned), tomato paste, rice (brown, white and ariborro), canned chilis, olives, capers…. I also make sure that I keep agave and maple syrup in the fridge. This got me thinking…I wondered what you HAVE to have in your pantry? I think that we stock our kitchens according to how we cook, which is wonderful, unless you want to try a new recipe. I cannot tell you how many different spices I have that I’ve used just a few times. But I’ll find uses for them, I’m convinced!! Okay, enough rambling…I’m off to press some tofu with my Tofu Xpress…. I love it! It makes pressing tofu SO very easy…. Hey, wanna win one?? I have a Tofu Xpress to giveaway when my Facebook Fan Page hits 100 fans! To become a fan of BreaGettingFit, click here.

Need a jump start?

breefawn — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:45:00 +0000

Making a major change in diet is a hard thing to do…especially when your body is used to addictive foods like candy, chips and french fries. I believe that everything in moderation is a good thing…but when all you’re craving is junk, there’s something wrong. I had to take a long hard look at my diet in the past few weeks, and realized something: I have been eating vegan, but what I’m putting into my body is VERY unhealthy. Yeah, I take vitamins and make sure that I get enough B12, Vitamin D, Folic Acid, Omega 3…all of those necessary nutrients that can be somewhat difficult to find. But I was still eating junk: potato chips, Starburst (since finding out that they are VEGAN…not such a great discovery since I absolutely LOVE them), and far too much soy ice cream. So, enough’s enough. I know how to eat healthy, and I’ve been on a pretty good 90% raw kick this month, but there’s ALWAYS room for improvement! SO, I was really excited to find that the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine is doing a 21-day VEGAN diet kickstart!! I am so excited to have some extra support in my inbox everyday, and I am hoping that it will further educate me about a healthy diet, and possibly give me some great new recipes! If you’re interested in kicking your cravings and eating a healthy diet, you can sign up here: 21-day Vegan Diet Jump Start. Let me know if you sign up!

Overcoming

breefawn — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:26:07 +0000

I posted last week about missing a workout because I wasn’t feeling well…and then I ended up missing ALL of my workouts because I just didn’t feel any better. In fact, I did not workout this morning because I wasn’t sure that I was back to a point where I should be pushing myself. I feel better this morning after sleeping in, and I think that I can go back to running my intervals and barre workouts. At first I was incredibly frustrated that I had this hurdle, but then I realized that maybe I’ve been overly focused on working out. Because I was sick, I was able to make some incredibly healthy meals, some great salads AND even discovered that my Omni absolutely LOVES Sarah Kramer’s black bean chili from La Dolce Vegan!: Vegan Livin’ Made Easy. I added some chopped crimini mushrooms to give it a meatier flavor, and voila! He asked me to make it again THIS WEEK (which is great, because I love this chili). I’m glad that it all worked out…and I cannot WAIT to get back to my regular workouts TOMORROW! YAY ME!

Pershing Square 1 workout giveaway

breefawn — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:28:38 +0000

In honor of my KILLER workout this morning, I am giving away a FREE copy of Pure Barre’s BRAND NEW workout: Pershing Square 1!! A little bit about this workout: According to the packaging, this workout requires NO EQUIPMENT (if you happen to have a small 5-6″ diameter playground ball, it would be helpful but not necessary). Okay…that’s kind of true. You do need to have a support to hold onto…the back of a couch, a chair…the wall? I am lucky enough to have a barre that I use for this type of workout, but a high-backed chair is a good substitute. If you have hard floors, you will want to be sure to have a pilates/yoga mat for some of the exercises (push ups, seat and abs) so that your back and knees don’t get hurt. Also, the playground ball is a great addition, but you can do the exercises without it. I was very excited to have a new piece of equipment to play with…maybe that’s just me, though. Alright, so set-up out of the way, the workout is fantastic. I’ve been doing this workout for about 3 weeks now, and my legs are starting to get some awesome definition. I do this workout 2-3 times a week, and it does a great job of exhausting the muscles. There is an amazing thigh sequence, that always makes my legs shake, and a great hamstring/seat section as well. The abs section is good, just not my thing…I prefer your traditional sit ups and reverse cruches with a weighted medicine ball. But if you’re looking for no-impact abs, this workout will do that for you. The stretch sequences after each segment are just long enough to help your muscles release (and to stop the shaking!). I honestly LOVE this workout. If you give me a choice between this workout and others that I have, I tend to reach for Pershing Square 1. I love that it’s only 45 minutes, and that the DVD has a section all about proper form, so that you can get through the workout quickly. There is not as much set-up time for each exercise, but I think that it’s because there is so much time spent on form in the form section…honestly, it’s a wonderful idea. You can also choose to do each section (warm-up, arms, legs, seat, abs) separately, although the workout goes by so quickly that I really don’t see a need for it. Can you tell that I’m completely IN L-O-V-E with Pure Barre??

Okay, down to what you want to know: How do I win a FREE copy of this amazing workout? The rules are simple. Just leave a comment after this blog entry. Only one entry per person, please. I will be drawing the winner of the contest FRIDAY JULY 24th, which means that you have 2 days to enter. I will contact the winner by email.

Good luck to everyone!!

The truth about Atkins

breefawn — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:23:09 +0000

I will admit that prior to becoming vegan (or even vegetarian!) I attempted the Atkins diet fad. It was HORRIBLE, and I lasted less than 3 days. I just don’t like meat…which is a great thing now that I’ve come to peace with that revelation. I am still fascinated by all the people out there who still buy into the myth that a lack of carbohydrates is somehow the magic pill. Most of the sane people in the world realize that eating animal products are wholly unhealthy…at least, I hope they do. Feeding my interest in the whole debacle that is low-carbohydrate diets, I picked up what turned out to be an amazing find. Carbophobia: The Scary Truth About America’s Low-carb Craze focuses on debunking (not terribly difficult, in my opinion) the low-carb myth. The book does a great job of being down to earth, slightly humorous and thought-provoking. Additionally, I learned some interesting facts that I wouldn’t have otherwise gleaned (at least, not without years and years of my own research…and frankly, I don’t have time right now). Did you know that there are absolutely no recognized studies that promote low-carb diets? Or that The American Heart Association has linked a high carbohydrate diet to a reduction in all mortality rates (from many, if not all, diseases)? Pretty interesting. If you’ve been looking for a “quick fix” this book will give you hope that eating well and providing your body with the proper nutrients will DEFINITELY make sure that you’re eating well and getting some answers to those burning questions. It was a fun, quick and enjoyable read…and I’ll probably read it again! It’s great for being purse-sized (good for waiting rooms or job interviews!).

School lunches

breefawn — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:15:10 +0000

Have you ever stopped to think about the lack of options available at school lunch programs? I remember when I was in school, and the best days were peanut butter and honey sandwiches, because I knew what I was eating. I’ve never been fond of cafeteria food (especially since I’m vegan), and as a kid, I remember the surprising lack of healthy options. I thought that I was perhaps one of the weird kids who would rather have an apple than cookies (and yes, I ate my fair share of cookies, too). I think my parents were very smart in making sweets a TREAT, rather than an expectation. Nowadays, I see what’s being served in school cafeterias and it makes me downright angry! There are virtually no healthy options (sorry iceberg lettuce!) and NO vegetarian options…I don’t think corn can be called a well-rounded meal. Sorry. So, I was really excited to see that an amazing new movie coming out is calling attention to the problem. Food, Inc. has started a petition to increase healthy options in our schools and get rid of junk like candy, soda and sweets (which have no business parading as real food anyway!). If you want to go a step further, you can buy the World Food Programme Feed Bag, the proceeds of which will help to feed a child in school for an entire year. Pretty cool, huh?

Here’s the Food, Inc. trailer (if you’re interested!).

Eat your veggies

breefawn — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:51:38 +0000

Did you know that today, June 17th is national eat all your veggies day? How cool is that? In honor of eating “all” of your veggies, I challenge you to try a veggie that you don’t normally choose. There are LOTS of ways to get your veggies in! I made a smoothie this morning using strawberries, chocolate silken tofu (YUM-O!) and spinach. I am having some veggie pasta for lunch today, and will probably be snacking on carrots and celery this afternoon. How do you get your veggies in?

Veggies are wonderful for you! They’re full of phytochemicals, antioxidants and vitamins. I make a point to eat as many different colors of veggies as I can each day. If you’re stuck on how to get more veggies in your diet, check out Green for Life or Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen: Easy, Delectable Living Foods Recipes. Green for life is a great read, and Ani’s cookbook has some WONDERFUL raw recipes. Both are worth a look.

As I’m writing this, I realized that I need to eat EVEN MORE greens, so I’m going to make some collard greens as a side to my dinner tonight…which happens to be stuffed eggplant! How’s THAT for fitting in LOTS of veggies?! I’m stuffing my eggplant with all sorts of veggie goodness!! My friend Trisha, sent me a recipe for stuffed eggplant that I’ve veganized, and I can’t wait to try it!

Here’s the recipe for you curious folk:

Stuffed Eggplant

Ingredients:

1 eggplant Eggplant, fresh, unpeeled (approx 1 lb)
1 small Onion, chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 tbsp Olive Oil
8 oz Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup pitted ripe Olives, quartered
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Basil
1/4 tsp Salt
4 oz Vegan Cheese (I use Mozzarella)
4 tbsp Vegan Parmesan, grated
Red Ripe Tomatoes, sliced thin

Method:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Trim the stem of your eggplant, then cut it in 1/2 longways and scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a little so that it can still be stuffed and baked. Chop eht flesh into bite-sized pieces. In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a pan over med-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, saute until the onions are translucent. Add the eggplant, seasonings and other veggies, cook for about 5 more minutes (or until eggplant is tender). Add the tomato sauce and stir to evenly coat.

To assemble your masterpiece, create layers, starting with veggies, then cheez, then veggies and more cheez. Top with the tomato slices and more cheez. Put your stuffed eggplant on a baking dish and bake, covered for 15 minutes, uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheeze begins to melt and brown. Allow to set for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Serves 4.