Quinoa? What the heck is that?

In our search for the healthiest foods, we came across this strange, incredibly nutritious, and yummy food, quinoa (keen-wah).  We first heard of quinoa when Bob Harper, the Biggest Loser trainer, was giving protein alternatives for vegetarians.  We are not, by any means, vegetarians, but we are always looking for ways to increase our protein intake without adding fat.

Quinoa is a "grain like seed" that is very small and is usually found with the other grains in the store.  We found our quinoa in bulk at Sprouts, but I did see today that Kroger carries it in their bulk area, so I bet other stores would carry it also.  If there was a category for SUPER FOODS I would think quinoa would be on the top of that list.  The benefits are almost too good to be true.  Just a few of these are:
* full of tons of vitamins and minerals beneficial to your body
* rich in protein, it contains all the nine necessary amino acid supplements important for the uptake of protein to your muscles
* rich in antioxidants, helping your body fight and get rid of free harmful radicals
* sufficient fiber content which cleans your colon, keeping your colon clean is necessary to fight cancer
* high magnesium content important in preventing risky diseases like hypertension
* gluten and cholesterol free and low in calories
* still gives you a good amount of starches and carbohydrates to fuel your body

We began cooking our quinoa in our rice cooker, which is super easy, but there are also very simple ways to cook it in the microwave and on the stovetop.  One important tip is that you should always rinse your quinoa before you cook it. We use our metal mesh strainer, with very small holes to rinse it, because the quinoa is very small. 

Once you have rinsed your quinoa, cooking it in the microwave, can be done as follows:
Use 2 cups water to 1 cup quinoa (2:1 ratio anytime you are cooking quinoa as a dish)
Place the quinoa and water in a microwave safe bowl with your choice flavor of boullion (to taste)
Cook on HIGH 100% power for 5 minutes, then 60% for 8 minutes, let stand for a few minutes and it's ready.

If you want to cook it on the stovetop, bring the quinoa, water, boullion mix to a boil for 5 minutes, cover, take off heat, and let stand for 15 minutes. 

We hope you will try this incredible food.  It has become one of our favorite side dishes, as a replacement for higher calorie, less nutritious rice!  We have been experimenting with main course dishes using quinoa.  We made a soup this week that was fabulous.  We will post it and a few more later.  If you would like to try it before we post it, just let us know.

Happy "Quinoa-ing"!
Ronna and Eristeo

What Kind of Fuel do you put in your Gas Tank?

We all know when your gas tank has water in it, the engine knocks and pings. We also know you can’t hold a match to a tire and light it on fire. So why do we put the wrong fuel in our body and expect it to perform correctly? The truth is, we often fuel our tank with fast burning sugars, fats, etc. and wonder why we feel lazy and don't want to get out of bed.

I know this seems too simple, but it’s the truth. The strength we have can only come from the correct fuel put into our bodies.Eating lean meats, fresh produce and whole grain will give us the fuel our bodies are looking for. Quick fix, "gimmicky" diets with empty promises may seem like a simple solution, but won't be a long term solution to our bodies long term fuel needs. For a healthy, trimmer body, you must get the right fuel – good nutrition, less junk food and/or excess food in order to build muscle, and not fat.

Our body wants to be in motion and when we “top off” our gas tank with correct foods our metabolism will create a natural chain of events that will give us that “pep” in our step.Now, we aren’t saying throw away all your foods and go to the health food store and spend hundreds of dollars on protein whey, exotic fruits, and organic breads. We all have to start somewhere and by incorporating a small change today, you will create the small steps toward feeling and being healthy.

Some small changes that can make a difference–

*Use whole wheat pasta instead of enriched white pasta (For more flavor, throw a cube of boullion in with the boiling water to give the whole wheat pasta a little more "umph".)

* Use brown rice instead of enriched white rice

* Use all white ground turkey breast in place of ground hamburger

* Use turkey bacon instead of pork bacon

* Replace an egg with two egg whites

* Use equal amounts of applesauce in a baking recipe in place of the oil

Happy fueling, the right way!

Eristeo and Ronna

It's a marathon, not a sprint

"We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon."
Emil Zatopek

As we have started this blog, our opportunities to speak with people about healthy living have been increased greatly.  That is such an awesome thing for us, and inspires us, just as we hope we are inspiring others.

A couple of conversations lately have brought up the fact that living a healthy, fit lifestyle is a big commitment, that is not always one of ease. In fact, many times, it is a very big pain in the butt...ie, to turn that lazy afternoon/evening into an active time of working out or to cut up those fresh veggies to use in the healthy recipe for dinner instead of popping in that frozen entree full of fat and preservatives, are not the easiest choices to make.  As my friends have pointed out in these conversations, if it was easy, everyone would do it. 

Making changes to a healthier lifestyle is not a sprint to a final finish, it a marathon throughout life.  It never ends, if you do it right. You will hit "walls" that will knock you down, extremely difficult to get over, but dealing with the obstacles and moving past them will feel better than you can imagine.  Making the choice to eat healthy, get moving, and make good decisions that will better your life, is about experiencing life, a good life, rather than sprinting to the finish.

Color Run-February 19th

Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death amoung women in the US, even over breast cancer? Each year 200,000 women die of a heart attack, 5x the deaths from breast cancer.

On February 19th, 2012, Dallas will be the host to The Color Run, a VERY COLORFUL, fun 5K run/walk.  This run benefits the American Heart Association.  This is the most unique run/walk we have ever seen.  You begin the walk/run wearing a solid white shirt, and by the end of the 5K, you are a rainbow of color.  Check out the link to find out more about the fun!  http://thecolorrun.com/dallas/

We have formed a team, Path of Purpose, that we would LOVE you to join to be a part of this awesome opportunity to have a good time and raise money for the American Heart Association as they do their part to lessen the impact heart disease has on our nation. 

The registration schedule for team members is as follows:  35.00 before Jan. 15, 2012, 40.00 before Feb 1, 2012, 45.00 before Feb. 19 2012.  In order to be a part of the team and get the team discount, search for our team name, Path of Purpose, and your discount should be applied.  If you have any questions, be sure to let us know.

We hope many of you can join us for this fun time.  Having this walk/run as a goal in about 6 weeks time, might be just the motivation you need to get up and get moving.  No need to be fast, or run all of it, or any of it for that matter, it is just a fun time and a way to get out there and get moving.  We hope that we will have lots of people join us on our team!

Ronna and Eristeo

Burrito El Grande

Today, Eristeo is contributing one of his favorite recipes for your enjoyment.  This is one that he has developed through trial and error.  We hope you enjoy it.  And remember, if you ever have any questions about anything we blog, be sure to message us. We'll be more than happy to try to answer it, or we will find the answer if we don't know it! :0)  Happy Eating!

Burrito El Grande

Prep time: 20 min  Cook time: 15 min  Serves: 7

Ingredients
8 oz uncooked 93% lean ground beef or all white, lowfat ground turkey
salt, pepper, and fresh minced garlic to taste
15 1/2 oz canned kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
3/4 cup(s) fat free salsa
7 serving(s) Ole Xtreme Wellness High Fiber Tortilla Wrap  
1/2 cup(s) Kraft 2% milk reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup(s) romaine lettuce
3 cup(s) fresh tomato(es)
1/2 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
1 item(s) (medium) uncooked bell pepper(s)
1 cup(s) (sliced) uncooked red onion(s)

Instructions
BROWN meat with chopped bell peppers, onions, and salt, pepper, and fresh minced garlic to taste, in large skillet on medium/high heat; drain.
Stir in salsa and kidney beans. Bring to simmer. Simmer on low heat 5 min.
SPREAD mixture down centers of tortillas; top with cheese, lettuce and diced tomatoes. FOLD in each tortilla, then roll up burrito style. Place on cookie sheet, seams down, and toast in oven till crisp, about 3 minutes. Serve with sour cream and extra salsa.

Calories 145  Fat 2.5g  Carbs 17g  Protein 8g  Figer 17g  WW 5pts

Make Each Day Count

You're never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.      -Les Brown

Everyday is a new day, regardless of whether it is January 1st the beginning of a new year, or July 31st, with 1/2 the year gone, it is a day that you have been blessed with to make the best of. Mistakes of yesterday are in the past, today, the present, is what you have now in your power to do something great with.  It doesn't have to be an earth shattering feat, but just a small change or choice to improve your quality of life. Vow today to be conscious of finding at least one better choice or change to make today.

You might choose to park at the farthest end of the parking lot for a little further walk, or walk around the block a few times when you get home before you sit down and get too comfortable! :) How about taking the clothes off the workout machine at home and use it for what its purpose is, not a 2nd closet! :)

Making some small better choices at meal time could be to forego dessert for a piece of sweet fruit, choose a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a hamburger, have a side of steamed or grilled veggies instead of those fries or mashed potatoes, or have only one small piece of bread instead of visiting the bread basket multiple times.  Use can also use a smaller plate for your meal, the smaller the plate, the bigger your portions look.

Make a choice, or multiple choices, for yourself, because you are worth it! Remember the day's yours, how will you choose to live it?

Ronna and Eristeo

Welcome 2012

2012 is here, and what better time to begin taking care of yourself and making yourself and your health and happiness a priority. Eristeo and I are hoping that we can make a difference in your life with a few small changes you can make to get you closer to that goal. We love talking about and passing on healthy tips and suggestions to whoever will listen, and pray that they will be taken with the love and good intentions that they are given with.

Living healthy is not about being a size 2, I am perfecly happy with my size body, but it is about living in a way that treats your body like the temple that God intended it to be.  In making small and meaningful changes throughout the year, within 12 months you will have made huge strides towards improving your life and feeling better in your body. 

If at anytime you find something that you would like to share with us that we can pass on in our blog, please feel free to share with us. The more knowledge we can pass on, the better.  Also, if at anytime, you have questions, we would love to answer them the best we can.  We don't have all the answers by any means, but will do our best to answer them, or find someone who can.

We hope you will enjoy the blog and will visit often. Our goal for the new year is to find more ways to pass on the blessings we have been given. May you all have a blessed and Happy New Year!

Ronna and Eristeo