Detox. Green. Spicy. - Pinterest Inspired

Hey Kids,

My body HURTS! Calves, abs, thighs. Lemme tell you how serious I am on loosing 20 lbs by T-Giving! I took a detox bath the other day -- filled the bath with Apple Cider Vinegar -- I didn't feel a difference but it was relaxing. I've been going hard core with my Turbo Fire, burning calories left & right.

 Last week I burned over 600 calories, it felt so good and my heart rate stayed up.

Yesterday I jogged 3 miles (at a very slow pace, maybe 2-3mph) in 40 minutes. I'm used to jogging on the treadmill and running on actual ground is so much harder. The inclines, the declines, the cars passing by looking at you struggle. Sheesh it was a hot mess. Beyonce almost didn't get me through it. I was so over pace, I would speed up during hills but I just loathed the entire process. BUT I'm feeling it. I am feeling it!!!! Did I mention I was FEELING IT!!! RAWWWRRRR

Anyhoo, yesterday I took another detox bath (hydrogen peroxide & ground ginger) ... I saw it on Pintrest (shrugs)

So clearly DETOX is my thing this week. and again inspired by Pinterest. I made a Green Detox Soup and again I failed to use measurements.

olive oil (to fill the bottom of the pot, an inch worth)

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

diced purple onion (I like a lot of onions)

fresh ginger, peeled and chopped (maybe a teaspoon)

fresh broccoli, cut up (I used one full tree)

1lb fresh spinach leaves

4 baby carrots, chopped (the original recipie called for parsnips, which I don't have, a quick google search told me potatoes or carrots. I went with carrots, although I LOATHE cooked carrots).

2 ribs of celery, chopped

parsley, like 6 shakes

1 can of bean sprouts

Fresh water (8 2/3 cups)

Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

Apple Cider Vinegar (cap full)

Cayenne Pepper

• I only have 1 pot (which means I need to go pot shopping! woo hoo)
• heat the olive oil over medium heat and stir in the garlic, onion, and ginger, broccoli, and bean sprouts & bean sprouts water (After being in Korea, my husband and I have fallen in love with bean sprouts...so delish with the right seasoning)
• Add the broccoli, spinach, celery, carrots
• Add water throughout. (I like my soup - soupy.. So I added lots of water to cover the veggies... probably too much so feel free to cut back.--  but don't add too much water in the beginning, wait till the end/middle)
• I cooked everything a low simmer, covering the pot. I think I cooked it for 20 minutes or so until the veggies are softened.
• Add ACV.
• Add Cayenne pepper, I went heavy on this.

**The soup smells so good! I sprinkled parsley on top before consuming**
---
So how does it taste? A little watery but spicy. I think I'll play with it more next time.

Loving my Korean bowl & chopsticks.. and the mat and the little plate in front. haha

Enjoy :)

***** Stay Motivated. Help Keep me Accountable. Follow me on MY FITNESS PAL APP, username 87PageS http://www.myfitnesspal.com/87pages ***********

INSPIRED BY: 
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2011/01/detox-green-soup-recipe-with-broccoli.html?m=1

Sweet Potato, Chickpea, Sweet Pea Soup

Hey kids

Since getting married last year I've been trying my hand at cooking. I've had some successes and I've had failures but my favorite dish to cook (I've only had 2 mistakes) is Indian inspired food. One of my best friend is Punjabi - American (PT we went to Thailand & Bangkok together remember?) and her mom makes the most dee-lish samosas and dal ever!! I've been hammering PT for the recipe for the longest, haven't got it yet. I love curry and it's become a staple in our house. I make curry atleast once a month. My favorite curry is with chicken or veggie.

Today, I wanted spice but I wanted soup.

I've been nursing a cold for the longest and while sitting in my chunky sweater I thought "why not make soup"... not such a radical idea.. but each time I try to make soup it  looses the soupyness and is just thick. I call it goulash but that is not correct. My faux soup is just a hot delicious mess.

My husband has been on a sweet potato kick and I've been using them to make fries but today I used the last two for soup.

Chickpeas, sweet potatoes, sweet peas.. that's an outrageous combo but I just had to try it. It turned out so delish!! Now here's the sad part I didn't measure ANYTHING! so if you were hoping for great details I've failed in that. But I made an awesome soup. Next time I make I'll post exact deets.

This is for sure a recipe I'll be using all Fall/Winter.

Ciao. xoxo.

Recipe:
Olive Oil
Crushed Red Pepper
Paprika
Black Pepper
Salt
Ground Cumin
Ground Ginger
Thyme Leaves
Garlic Powder
Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste
1/4 purple onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 can of sweet green peas
1 can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
2 medium size sweet potatoes
1 can of Coconut Milk
1 tsp of butter
1/4 Lemon Extract

• Before cooking, Peel, dice, steam the sweet potatoes, place them in a medium size bowl filled with water, cover the bowl with saran wrap, than put in the microwave for 15 mins.
• When the potatoes were done, I began by heating oil in a pot on medium, adding spices--except garlic powder & Thyme (for the spices I just sprinkled a bit, season according to your taste. I like my food flavorful)
• Next I started chopping and maybe 3 minutes after the oil had set, I began adding things to the skillet as they were chopped: onion, garlic cloves, don't forget to stir!
• Next I added the full can of coconut milk, and a teaspoon of the Thai kitchen Red Curry Paste
• STIR
• As the pot simmered, I got the sweet potatoes and blended them (water included). I dumped them into the pot
• Next I put the chickpeas in the microwave for 1 min (this is optional)
• Than I blended half the chickpeas (Sans chickpeas juice) dumping them into the pot -- note DO put the whole chickpeas into the pot as well.
• I blended half the sweet peas (sans sweet pea juice) dumping them into the pot -- note DO put the whole sweet peas into the pot as well
• STIR--- sprinkle in the garlic powder & thyme (I did at least 4 shakes for the thyme)
• After tasting I needed more salt and I added 1/2 tsp of the Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste & lemon extract
• I let it sit for awhile and than added in 1 tsp of butter, just for a bit of richness. 

My husband was still hungry so I baked

Salmon:

drizzling olive oil onto a cookie sheet, sprinkled pepper & ginger on top of the salmon. I think I put it in for 20 minutes or so... lol

Biscuits: 2 1/4 cups of bisquit mix, 2/3 cup of almond milk: using a regular tablespoon, drop them onto a cookie sheet --spray first with PAM.. bake for 8 mins.

.... um I have no idea why these bisquits aren't fluffy. I followed the recipe. Maybe its the almond milk... but it's pretty annoying.

Bon Appetite

595 Calories #yum

Soup Recipe Inspiration: 
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2012/09/sweet-potato-red-pepper-and-coconut-milk-soup.html
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/chickpea-and-sweet-potato-curry.html
http://www.familyfreshcooking.com/2010/03/31/sweet-potato-chickpea-soup/
http://low-cholesterol.food.com/recipe/moroccan-sweet-potato-and-chickpea-soup-312286
http://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/dinner-diary/sweet-potato-coconut-milk-soup

#bodyrevolution #90daychallenge #turbofire

Hey Kids,

So its been 14 days since my last post. I've been working out! Spinning, Zumba, Treadmill, Elliptical you name it. I've been using my leftover IT WORKS WRAPS (BODY APPLICATORS) and I just started TurboFire this week. Today I did High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) 15, it was a LOT of jumping! I'm loving it. Feeling the workout and feeling skinny. I doubt I lost anything in the past 2 weeks but I feel better now that I'm active.

I am also altering my meal plans. Someone in my fitness group mentioned "studies had show people who ate the same or nearly the same thing daily lost more weight than those who ate different foods all the time. I guess it's because your body knows what it's going to get and so it settles in to losing or maintaining?" 

It's going to be hard but I can do it. Here's my Meal list for every day. Dinner is up in the air because I usually cook for my husband, so I'll just limit that to every day. Breakfast-Snack-Lunch-Snack will not change. At the end of the week I'll post my dinners on here. I'll stick to one small plate.

8:30 Breakfast - Cereal

12:30 Snack - Green Smoothie ... assortment of veggies & fruits

1:30 Lunch - Plain tuna wrap w/ hummus

3:30 Snack - Almonds (10)

6:30 Dinner - small plate, free choice, one serving

No eating after 7pm. <---- I will struggle with this. 

More info on TurboFire

My name is Star and I am a Chip-a-holic

The struggle is real. It's hard. Many can attest that it is SO easy to snack, chow down, have one last bite... and many more will testify how hard it is too loose those snacks, bites, second helpings. I'm not sure how it happened. It was an lethal assualt and I am fighting the scars. Since the middle of June I have gained about 15 pounds. The same 15 pounds that I was able to easily snip away in Korea.

The Korean weightloss clinics how I miss them so. If I were to walk into a clothing store, Adjuma would bustle me out because indeed I would be "too big" because they only have "small size." I find it interesting that I instantly compare myself to other women, exulting that "at least I'm not as big as her" or "why can't my thighs get smaller. Whilst in Korea, I was quick to revile the Americans in-tuned with food. Now I only revile myself and the bad habits I have eagerly leaped towards.

I wish it was only McDonalds or Burger King, but I haven't even tasted a chicken nugget since being in America, and only last week did I taste a BK chicken wrap. No my demon is my lack of activity. Eating healthy was a chore in my younger days. Now, I'll drink a kale/strawberry/apple smoothie and forgo the Krispy Kreme donuts that have been haunting my footstep since I left Korea. (note, I only had the delicious donut once while in Korea... it's a plague on my sensibilities... its soooo good).

The first day of Autumn (my fave season) is only a few days away. I'm determined not to succumb to the pressures of being an American food-whore ... no matter how tasty it is. I am also pledging to be active... a 90 day challenge of activeness. Ideally 2 hours of activity per day. In my house, on the street, in the gym, in the pool. I'm going to do it. I refuse to enter the New Year heavier than when I entered it.

No bueno.

Join me in my 90 day challenge. Starting today. September 19, 2012 - December 18, 2012

We will work out 1.5-2 hours. Eating light & healthy.

My food plan for the next 90 days will consist of; a variety of fish, turkey, and chicken (not fried), raw & cooked veggies, raw fruit, fruit/veggie smoothies. Tortilla wraps; but sparingly. I might throw in some crackers every now & then, but they'll mostly be for the hummus.

Wine & beer occasionally -- look don't judge me. I'm dropping chips, the number 1 threat to my thighs. So hush and let me enjoy my Merlot. -_-
 
I'll be drinking lots of water so there.

Want to join me? Watch my progress? Boo or Encourage: tweet me @87PageS

Am I stuck in Asia... or something

oh sheesh. you know how it goes when you have the best intentions.... yeah mine just like disappeared after I came back from Vacation back in May/June.

Once I finish completing my Ethics & Legal Education papers for this week, I will have a new blog for you all. Thanks to everyone who has been consistently checking the blog out. Don't forget I'm very active on Twitter so follow me there!!

TTYL