Tofu Recipe for You Vegetarians Out There!

I found this yummy-looking recipe made out of Tofu and Couscous in the Oxygen Magazine I received a few days ago. Haven't tried it yet, but I have not tried anything out of Oxygen that I haven't liked yet. So I'm sure it will be a hit!

Here it is...

Tofu Delight

1/2 C Whole-Grain Couscous
4 oz Cubed Tofu
1/2 C Broccoli
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 TBS Balsamic Vinegar

Cook/Steam all ingredients, combine and enjoy!
-Martha

Some Carbs You Might Enjoy 7.15.10

These are some of my carbs I enjoy when I don't have time to prepare oatmeal, sweet potatoes or other things like that. I'm not 100% positive there isn't another whole wheat tortilla out there that isn't better than these Mission Brand ones. I just quickly grabbed the first ones that didn't have anything processed in them. You would be surprised at some of the ingredients in these foods they advertise as "healthy" if you take the time to look! Next is my sandwich thins. There are several types you can buy, like multi-grain, honey wheat, etc. But I believe the 100% whole wheat ones are the best for you after you compare the ingredients. Next I have 2 types of Wasa Crackers. Some are more crunchy than others, but I love them all! You can have them with cottage cheese, peanut butter, bananas, etc to make a healthy snack! Lastly is a random item I decided to add. It's your green tea. Green Tea has been proven to have lots of healthy benefits and is a great antioxidant.

I hope everyone knows I didn't switch to all these new foods right away. I started small, a little here, a little there. As I got more and more used to different foods, I would try something else new. I don't like everything, but these are some of the things I do enjoy. I hope you are able to use this a guide to get you started in the right direction and give yourself time to try some a little at a time. Until next time ladies!
-Martha

Random Kitchen Items....7.15.10

Here are some random items I keep in my kitchen at all times. I can't remember what order I put them in, so here is a run down in no particular order. I have posted a recipe for Protein Pancakes, I believe it was our very first post actually. They are really good with honey or Agave Nector. You can find this ANYWHERE really. Next is your whole wheat flour. The brand doesn't matter, you just want it to be 100% whole wheat. I also posted Adam's Peanut Butter, most everyone has heard of this. I use Naturally More now (posted a photo of it on Cali's entry when she was talking about it). Both peanut butters you can find at Wal-Mart. It is good when you see the oil at the top of the jar because that means there are no hydrogenated oils in it. These oils are very bad for you, but manufacturers put it in to keep the ingredients from separating (mostly because we are too lazy to take the time to stir). The trick is to stir it when you open it, then place it in your fridge. It won't separate if it stays cold. Lastly is my organic yogurt. My favorite is Greek Yogurt (it's the best for you anyway), but I had ran out of that and this is what I got instead. Both kinds of yogurts you can find at Wal-Mart. I hope this is helping you all get a visual of what is out there that you can choose from as a healthy alternative to what you are currently spending your money on. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Sugar Alternatives by Martha 7.15.10

These are the sugars I use now in place of the refined sugars that we are all used to. I have found they work great and taste delicious too! They are a little more expensive than your normal sugars, but when it comes to taking care of my body (and my family's bodies!) I only want the best anyway! I found the last one - your "white sugar" at Costco for a really good deal. The "brown sugar and powder sugar" I found at Harmons I believe.

Martha's More Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies 7.15.10

I modified my old recipe for chocolate chip cookies to try and make it a bit more healthy. I put it to the test by having my daughters and husband (he's the biggest critic of all) try the cookies. Needless to say, they all loved it! I didn't modify the entire recipe, but only what I could. So here it is...

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 C part-butter Shortening
2/3 C Organic Brown Sugar
2/3 C Organic White Sugar
2 Eggs
Mix these ingredients together in a mixer.

Add:
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
2 C Whole Wheat Flour
1 C Chocolate Chips (can use dark choc if you like)

Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 min. Don't over cook. I take them out before I see them turning brown.
The Organic Sugars and Flour I will post a photo of what I use and you can find something similar if you like.
Enjoy!

A Few Photos of My Favorite Foods 7.15.10

I've decided I need to post more pictures. I get comments at my bootcamp class that they are scared to buy these new types of foods because they have no idea what they are, what they look like, how to find it, or how to use it. So I have a list of my favorite foods here that will really help boost your metabolism and get your body working for you instead of against you! A lot of these foods have been talked about in our previous entries, so at least now you know what they look like!
This is Quinoa (Keen-Wa). It is a carb that you can use in place of white rice. It is better for you than brown rice and tastes better too! I found this at Costco, but Harmons and Wal-Mart and health food grocers sell it too. Sometimes it comes in a box. Be careful with prices though. I found the natural grocer and Costco were the cheapest.
This popcorn is a great replacement of your Movie Theatre Extra Butter Popcorn you USED to buy! My kids love it better than the old stuff and my father-in-law, who is a HUGE popcorn fan, has also switched after trying this out.... It makes a great snack when you have the munchies. I get this at Wal-Mart.
This is Quinoa I found in the form of spagetti noodles! My daughter says it tastes better than regular noodles, now that should tell you something! I will cook up a box of this, make some spagetti sauce and add my turkey muffins to the sauce for a great source of protein without my kids knowing it's good for you! I buy this at Harmons. You can check the health food grocer, I just haven't checked there yet.

I have to run, but I have a lot more to share. I will post more as I have time!!!
Martha