Summer Lunches

Summer vacation is here and the flow and energy about the house is so lively.  Kid's in and out of the house every so often, although it seems like the door is opening every 5 minutes.  I don't know about the rest of you, but when I was my children's ages my mother never saw me and my friends.  You know (or maybe you don't) but back in the day when neighborhoods were safe and "strangers" were friendly, you could disappear for hours and play so long and hard that you would come home dirty and yet still happy and excited for summer.  Home just long enough to get fed and go back out. 

Not today, today the kids are "hungry" every half hour, or so it seems.  Are they bored? Are the attention spans not the same as the "older days" because society has our kids wanting everything "right now", "quick", "fast".  Are they really hungry or just bored?  This comes to the questions that has been asked to me many times by loyal fans of fitnessmomwinecountry.  "What do you feed your kids"?  "How can I feed my kids healthy food and keep it exciting"?  Well I am no different than the rest of you "mommies" out there.  I often ask myself the exact same questions as I stand in the middle of my kitchen just staring at the fridge and cupboards thinking what, what can I make them today.  Of course as both my children have now rushed into the house pretty much grumpy and aruging because they are "hungry" or just in need of a nap.  That rush of panic hits me, but I have learned that if I am shopping properly I can produce a healthy lunch/snack and whip it up in a matter of minutes and look like I am the Super Mom of the neighborhood.

First tip to successful and healthy kids meals, shopping. Hit the market and stay smart, stay focussed.  Don't get pulled into the frozen food aisles, you know the one's with the bagel bites, or taquitos, or whatever quick micro meals kids can heat and eat.  I am not saying don't pick up the box of popsicles or icecream for the cones.  The kids have to be kids and it is summer for crying out loud, but you know what I mean.

We can't let society feed our children, we need to feed our children.  We are in control, we are the adults here and we are teaching the kids. I remember growing up and eating bologna sandwiches on white sliced sourdough bread with mayo and lettuce.  I can still taste them and go right back to the sandy beach of Lake Tahoe where I grew up like it was yesterday, boy those were the best and even better with the crunch of the sand granuals.  I don't feed the kids bologna, nor do they even like it. However, I do go with the good old standby Peanut Butter and Jelly, that is always a winner.   Lean turkey, albacore tuna, even salami every once in a while.  I have even gone ahead and whipped up lunch burritos of beans of whatever I have in the pantry, let's say pinto, white and kidney.  Wash and rinse well, heat them up grate some cheddar cheese into them to make a glue like formation and wrap with whole wheat wraps.  If I am really ready I will even have leftover brown rice (although the kids like white) and add that to the beans.  Great healthy lunch that holds them over for sometime and gives them the protein they need. 

We have a child who is hypoglycemic so getting the right foods into him is really important to help the blood sugar and yes a meal/snack every 1 1/2 hour is a must.  Anything after that becomes dangerous to his health as we have found out after watching him black out and hit the floor.  You become aware of the signs after a while, and thank goodness he has learned to read his body.  So eating healthy and wholesome meals is a must.  Not the processed and pre-packaged with all the crap and additives.

 Making lunches at home can become easy, but what about packing up and leaving for a day trip?  Well that should not be any more difficult. Packing up and heading to the beach or off for a family hike or picnic can be just as healthy and easy as staying home.  This will again take smart shopping and planning.  You don't want to get caught up in running to the snack shack and buying the corn dog or greasy burger.  Although we all know they can be tasty.  Think fruit, veggies sure you have the chips and the treat but overall keep with the healthy.  Make it fun, cut the sandwiches into shapes or use cookie cutters.  Pack individual lunch bags for each family member and don't tell them what is in them.  This makes it a fun surprise and they have no choice but to eat what you packed because well you are away from home and they need to eat.

Go with leftovers.  That grilled or baked chicken you cooked the night before, what a great next day sandwich.  Even the leftover grilled veggies can be turned into a wrap of some sort.  It is just about being creative and having fun.  Don't get into the trap of thinking of buying the box of Lunchables, ewww really? No, never.  Make your own.  Buy the deli meat, get your own crackers and cheese and create a fun lunchable that you make from home.

So whether you are staying home, heading out on a picnic, family hike or a day at the beach, basically, summer lunches and snacks can be successful and amazing if you put forth the effort.  You are teaching your kids at a young age about good food.  You are  really giving them a great foundation to look back on and you can be the "Cool Mom" that makes fun lunches.

Stress Busters ...Right From the Kitchen

Okay so we all get a tad stressed from time to time. Some more than others, and it can be anything. Time of the month, the weather, money, food, body issues, kids, spouse...well you get it, if I kept going I would never finish this blog.  Instead of going to that "comfort" food, or that fattening beer, or too many drinks or worse.  Just look right in your home for some pretty natural and healthy "stress busters".

I assume that most everyone knows about lavender.  Well I hate to assume so maybe I shouldn't, I  guess it is because I live in the Wine Country and it is everywhere.  Back to why I mentioned the lavender.  You can diffuse lavender oil with a ceramic candle warmer and let sit in a room.  This is suppose to lower anxiety levels.

The coconut, let's talk about that.  I know I love coconut oil on my skin after a hot shower or warm bath.  I love to use it for shaving my legs, because I don't get that irritating razor burn.  But did you know that the scent of coconut may actually slow down the heart rate when in a really stressed mood?  It has been studied that people who breathed in coconut fragrance "actually saw their blood pressure recover more quickly after a challenging task.  It seems that inhaling a pleasant scent can enhance alertness while soothing our responses to stress.  I know I love the smell of coconut and normally I am taken away in my mind to some exotic beach location, works for me.

What about those green apples?  What is the saying? "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"?  But did you know that embracing the aroma of a green apple can help to alleviate headaches?  Good for our bodies and our heads.

Tea, love drinking tea.  I recall just posting something on black tea just last week.  Apparently drinking caffeinated black, green or oolong tea can elicit a "more alert state of mind".  An amino acid which is present in these teas seem to work synergistically with the caffeine to improve our attention and focus.  Don't drink sodas or coffee, go with the tea.  Well you should not be drinking soda at all! That is an entire different post.

What about carbs? Well we know that unless we are training our butts off and burning a ton of calories, then normally carbs are something we don't really want alot of .  However, eating carbs can stimulate the release of serotonin, you know, the "feel-good" brain chemical.  Opt for the whole grains like quinoa and oatmeal, these will have more fiber and nutrients than refined.

Oh the dark chocolate....where do I start and how can we go wrong? This beautiful food can help reduce the levels of cortisol and catecholamines (the hormones associated with stress) and this is even more so for those with high anxiety. You don't need to tell me twice. Of course the darker the chocolate, the healthier.  However, though stress relieving, it can also put on the weight if we take advantage of it.  So go easy but keep it in the fridge.

Of course there are many stress relievers that are good for us, exercise, working out , sex, laughter,crying.  But I thought I would share these tips from Eating Well. 

Simple Enough For The Kids..

I am always talking about "prepping" doing ahead of time, shopping smart and having everything you need ready for any type of meal.  As much as I try, the kids (God bless them) still look and go through the plate in front of them with their eyes and forks.  You know, the "what is in this" question, or the move around the plate option, spotting every bit of green something or colored something.  Don't get me wrong, they are up to the challenge of the healthy meals and they know exactly what it is that their mom does every day and what I talk about.  I just have to ease up every once in a while and give them a "normal" plain ordinary meal.

Tonight will be just that, how much more simple can I get than chicken?  Oh that again.  Right, how many different ways can we create chicken?  How many nights a week do we have to eat it?  Well, beings that we don't do red meat in this house, you can only imagine how much chicken is cooked here.  This brings us to somewhat of a Stroganoff type chicken if you like. 

Mushrooms
Onions
Chicken Breast
Cream of Celery Soup
Chicken Broth
Rice

Seriously, that is it.  Low sodium everything.  Just cook the chicken breast first, remove and set aside in a bowl.  Add mushrooms and onions to saute with chicken broth.  No, there was no measuring in this recipe, just go with it.  Get all that sauteed together, then add the chicken back in with the cream of celery.  I like to first put the cream of celery in a bowl and whisk it up to de-clump.  Steam some brown or white rice and top the rice with the chicken.

Done, easy and quick.  One pan, one meal, the most simple ever for the kids (until they fork around and see the onion).  This with a side salad and they are good to go.  Not to mention this meal is super affordable.  I know it is a hit when they ask for seconds. YAY!

Sunday Evening "Quickie"...Dinner That Is

Okay so it's Sunday evening and the last night of Spring Break (for us). So my head is already going to the place of organization and planning.  Are the back packs ready? Is the laundry done? Market shopping finished? All I need to is to get the kids feed and showered and back on their routine so to stay on task for the up-coming school week.  This calls for a Sunday night "quickie".  The world's fastest chicken enchiladas ever.  This dinner is for the kids, so it is the most basic and simple, minus all the spicy and goodies.

Chicken Breast
White Corn Tortillas
Enchilada Sauce (mild)
Onion
Black Beans
Left over Pico de Gallo (salsa) just to  mix in and get rid of
Mixed Assorted Cheese

Cook chicken in EVOO (yes I have stolen Rachael Ray's word).
Sprinkle granulated garlic.
When done set aside in bowl.
In the same pan, cook the onion, black beans and salsa mixture.
Add enchilada sauce to the mixture and stir to cook until warmed.

Shred the chicken into pieces and then add them back to the pan.

I do not take the time to roll or fold my enchiladas, never have...this is like the measuring thing, (you know that thing I don't do unless I really have to).  So pour some enchilada sauce into a rectangular baking dish. Layer about 6 tortilla shells into the dish (dip each shell into a wide bowl of sauce to cover both sides first).  Then start layering your chicken mixture, sprinkle cheese on top and repeat the process.

Since this recipe is for the kids, I go two layers and super basic.  Cook at 350 for about 1/2 hour. Done!  This just frees up Sunday night for another Date Night Dinner with the hubby.  I can't think of a better way to wrap of the last night of Spring Break, than being organized and relaxed.  Can you?

Cutting the Cord...(in the kitchen)

I know, I am a huge control freak. Everything is done on a schedule, organization is a must and I pretty much run our lives like this. Although I have gotten much better with the kids as far as finally letting them take care of their own rooms and back packs, putting away laundry, etc. I still have a real difficult time cutting the cord when it comes to the kitchen. Not sure why, maybe because I am such a neat freak that I figure if I just do it all it will be easier to clean up.  Or me thinking that the kids will cut themselves, catch something on fire, heck who knows. We all hang together in the kitchen since we have the family dining table and homework area with kitchen all in one place, I feel like since we are all together then the kids are participating.

It was not until the other day when I went to pick Faith up from a field trip. Her fourth grade class was taking off for the night to one of the old Adobes here in the area. While there, they would be learning to live off  the land so to speak. Making homemade waxed candles, weaving baskets, cooking the meal. Faith was not going to be spending the night at the Adobe, but she was able to spend the entire day with her class. I had driven out to pick her up and as I entered the courtyard area it had hit me like a ton of bricks, there she was at her "station" cutting onions and preparing the dinner. I felt the huge grin grow across my face and could not help but think "wow, how cute is that". Then the emotion hit me, Faith was cooking and loving it.

Heading home in the car, all I could do was listen and soak up the stories she had from the day and then hearing the excitement talking about cooking. "Mom, I know how to cut and I want to help with dinner". She was so excited, the freckles on her face were glowing. "Of course princess, we will start when we get home and cleaned up" (again, schedule first). Dinner was an easy one, stir fry. So I set her up and let her go to work. Washing and cutting all the veggies, then she was asking for something more to do. Once the chicken breasts were cool, I let her cut those up and shred them. I don't think dinner has ever been so good. I had finally cut the cord and guess what? It was okay. It was better than okay. We talked, we had fun, she let me take pics. Although we are usually together in the kitchen, this night was different, it was special. Faith is turning 10 this weekend and at the same time, she is becoming my little lady.

Stir Fry Dinner
*NOTE* I do not measure (unless I really need to) so if you try, go with what is good for you

Chicken Brest (up to you how many)

Celery
Mushrooms
Red Onion
Green Onion
Carrots
Zuchs
Yellow Squash
Cauliflower
Ginger
Sea salt
Light Olive Oil
Brown Rice

Add all veggies together and saute until your liking in the olive oil

when done remove and put in bowl, set aside
cook chicken with low sodium soy
ginger (fresh is best) just grate
pepper
and low sodium or sodium free chicken broth

Add the veggies to the cooked chicken and toss together

Serve on top of brown rice :)

Sneaking in the Sweet Potato....:)

Okay another night after swim practice and little league...what to do?  I had not had my normal "game plan", and I knew it was "Date Night Dinner" with the hubby.  Date night dinner, is when the hubby and I get the kids fed with their own meal, then he and I enjoy a quiet dinner after they are in bed.  This works because of our busy schedule, since we rarely go out on weekends nights.  So date night has to be on a school night.  The kids are in bed by 8:00, so we are still able to eat at a decent hour.This is just once in a while, normally eating even this late is not so great, but it works.

Pasta was going to become dinner for the kids.   Pretty standard, however I was out of things for their salad.  How can I get a veggie into them?  Bingo, the sauce, and as luck would have it, I had two sweet potatoes I had just steamed during the day in the fridge.  Pretty easy and here is how it goes..

1 can tomato sauce
2 sweet potatoes
sprinkle sea salt (for taste)
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup almond milk
blend

Heat in the pan before adding pasta, mix and serve, then wait.....yep just wait to see if they notice.  Don't say a word, just chill.....Oh my, both bowls wiped out and one for seconds!  Success, yes, sneaking in the sweet potatoes and they never even knew.

Sweet Potato, shhhh - they will never know :)

Most Fav Flower Ever!!

While cooking this very clever meal for the kids, the hubby comes home from work and again just randomly shows up with another batch of flowers....(this time my most, most favs...Gerber Daisy) I love them and him! Just a small touch to add to the kitchen, enjoying my family, happy with my meal plan for the night and counting my blessings.  All while thinking whooo hooooo I sure hope someone tries this recipe out for their little ones. 

Even Stryker loves a little sweet potato sometimes :)

Faith and Stryker.....

Splurge

Okay so the hubby and I  headed out Friday for our "Field Trip", off towards Marin,CA.  Our fav shopping destination Corte Madera.  However, we had a time limit, due to the fact that the kids were to be picked up by mid afternoon from school.  So this is how it went...the shopping area is so large it is on both sides of the 101.  We knew we could not possibly spend the entire day shopping and get back in time, so we opted to stay on one side of the freeway....the side with the PF Changs.  We have to have lunch after all.  This is where it gets important, so pay attention. 

Now I am all about eating healthy, watching what we eat, how much, counting cals, paying attention to sugar content in this and that, sodium, carbs...etc.  However, a few things came to mind when I walked through the door.  My head was completely in "work mode".  Hmmm, how can I do this and go back to Fitnessmom and preach about eating?  I can't, I have to be totally honest and since I am going to do this, heck I might as well splurge a little and call it "research".  Yes, research, l love it perfect, I can sit and order and eat all while doing this for the good of the Fitnessmom fans.

Let me start by saying I did my best to try to stay somewhat smart.  The menu at PF Changs did  not have any nutrition info printed by the food choices, there is nothing noted about how much sodium or anything else for that matter.  It did say however, "highest and freshest quality ingredients".  So I just took a deep breath and ordered away.

SPRING ROLLS

Crispy spring rolls filled with fresh vegetables and served with a sweet & sour dipping sauce

 CHANG'S CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS

Our signature appetizer. Wok-seared minced chicken, mushrooms, green onions, and water chestnuts served over crispy rice sticks and served with cool, crisp lettuce cups

SEARED AHI TUNA *

Sushi grade ahi tuna, served chilled with spicy mustard vinaigrette and fresh mixed greens

GINGER CHICKEN WITH BROCCOLI

Chicken breast stir-fried with green onions and ginger and centered in a ring of fresh broccoli
LO MEIN
Stir-fried noodles and vegetables with a choice of beef, pork, chicken, shrimp or vegetable

  Okay, so I am being totally honest, totally real, I DO NOT suggest eating like this every week.  We start to order and I could see the look of "really"? on my hubby's face when I asked the waiter if they used "real chicken".  When it came to the "extra dipping sauces" or soy, we totally stayed away from those.  The food did taste fresh and portion control was all about this lunch.  Sure we wanted to dive in, chopsticks in hand, fighting to push each other out of the way (I was starving) however, we totally held it together served up small portions on our plates and wrapped the rest to go (great after school snack for the kiddies). 

I have to give a shout out to the Seared Ahi Tuna...I took one bite of that with the mixed green and cucumber and I was as giddy as a gal with a new pair of Coach boots!  Oh wait, I got those didn't I?  The tuna melted like butter, I was in heaven, it was amazing.

So back to the research, I woke today and was feeling fine.  Just a chill Saturday morning with family.  In fact movie in bed along with the dog was our morning hang-out time.  By mid afternoon it had hit me, done, toast, over, sluggish.  Yep my body is not used to eating like that (it has been a long time) so I knew when I was ready to pack it in for a power nap (that turned into a power coma) I woke feeling too groogy and even worse. 

What we put in our bodies is SO important, it does matter.  Sure I had chicken, broccoli and Ahi, however who knows what is was cooked with.  All the oils, sodium, etc..

My body took all day to re coupe from my splurge and I am aware of that.  I can only imagine how others feel who eat like that all the time or eat WORSE.  We need to learn to eat as clean as possible.  I am not saying don't enjoy meals out, but even in my case where I am aware and conscience of my food, I still went a tad extreme.  So tomorrow is all about protein, clean and tons of veggies.  I don't like feeling like a sloth and blah.  Food is our friend, we just need to know how to incorporate it into our lives daily and wisely.....:)

What the world needs....

Without the "Kindness" of others, Fitnessmom would not be what it is today.....

I Confess..

So we are what 2 weeks away from Christmas? Tis the Season to Be Jolly, should be Tis the Season to Gain the Pounds..with all the baked goodies, high fat foods, comfort foods, and even cocktails, out there right now how can we not.  I admit, I am huge sugar junkie, a closet snacker (candy is my drug of choice) or it was up until October  (steeling the candy from the kid's trick treat bags then was like having to go on a Black Ops undercover mission) ridden with guilt.