AFC CHAMPS! WOOOOT!

I only have a second.  Here are a couple of pics from the tailgate.  I am never in any pictures because I am always taking them - not sure (I hardly remember to be honest ;) ) how I ended up in every one of these. 

What a way to end the home tailgating season.  It was a great year!  Lots of fun!  It is was so cold but we had a blast.  Not necessarily a "clean eating" day but no one is perfect!  ENJOY! 

SEE YOU IN DALLAS!

Mandall

My future SIL, me and C

My Bro and I

The North Face Girls!

Me, R, C and M

HERE WE GO STEELERS...HERE WE GO!

Today is going to be a great day!  The sun is shining brightly, my kids slept until 7:30 and the Steelers play in the AFC Championship today against the New York Jets (Booo)!  Only one problem - it is going to be a high of 12 and a low of 9 at kickoff.  OUCH!  Thats okay though.  I have a bunch of layers to wear, my Uggs and my North Face Parka.  And MCCLP is bringing the concrete heaters again - so we should be in good shape!

Today we are having pulled pork sandwiches, quesadillas, hot and sweet sausage and I made brownies.  It should be a rather large tailgate - playoff tailgates are always huge - so I am sure everyone will be bringing food!

To keep us warm today - Sam is making his famous hot apple cider with Captain Morgan (yum) and Mandy is bringing hot chocolate with Rumplemintz (double yum)!

I will post some pictures from the day's festivities later!

GO STEELERS!

HARDCORE FITNESS/KwiKross

I am so mad!  I started to feel a little sick yesterday (sore throat/headache).  When I woke up this morning, I still did not feel well.  Sam (my bro) took Mary to dance class and Abby and I are just chilling at home. 

I am going to try to lay low until Sunday.  I CANNOT be sick for the AFC Championship!  And we better win because we already booked our flights and hotel rooms for the Super Bowl in Dallas!  WOOT!

ANNOUNCEMENT!

As if anyone really even reads my blog, but if you do...my friend Amy and I have been talking about starting our own fitness center/training business.  Until our house is completed (hopefully May), we are not going to find a space to house this business, but we are going to try to start promoting our program.  Amy has been creating workouts for the past few years.  They are amazing.  She is in wicked shape and looks absolutely fantastic.  She is super lean and very hot!  =)  Love you Ames!  The workouts combine HIIT, Yoga, MMA and Bootcamp style interval moves.  Check out her blog for more details...

http://amylynncircuittraining.blogspot.com/

She came up with the name "Hardcore Fitness" and I developed the name "KwiKross."  Why?  Because what we do is quick and very, very challenging and it is a cross between several types of training types.  You burn an incredible amount of fat in a very small amount of time.  AND can burn up to 1000 calories in just one hour long workout.  Also, in a short amount of time you will see definition in your arms and abs like you never have.  

I used to be the girl who would be on the elliptical or treadmill for an hour and then do some weight training 4-5 times a week.  I would wonder why I wasn't seeing any changes in my body.  About a year ago, I started eating "clean" and started working out with Amy.  Literally in about 6 weeks, I had definition in my arms and for the first time, actually felt confident enough to wear a bikini.  No, not a mom bikini (that I had been wearing since having two kids in 2 years) but a cute, sexy BIKINI!  I went to Ft. Lauderdale in March of 2010 with my sister-in-law (who, by the way, is 42 and has an 8 pack so I had no choice but to get in shape if I was going to laying on a towel next to her).  =)

Like most of my friends who are moms and everyone else who has kids - when do you find time to workout?  I get asked this all the time.  It's simple.  I am NOT at the gym for 2 hours.  I am there for MAYBE an hour and 15 minutes including dropping and picking my kids up at the kids area.  We get in and we get out.  For about 45 minutes you are working very, very hard and are sweating your ass off and gasping for air.  BUT - it is never the same workout but it is ALWAYS fun! 

I knew it was working when people started commenting on my arms.  NO ONE HAS EVER said anything to me about them - EVER.  Even when I was playing soccer in college and working out and lifting.  NOTHING.  I have had a total body transformation.  And no, I do not work for P90X and I am not getting paid a dime to say any of this - I SWEAR! 


One thing that Tosca Reno talks about in all of her books is:

"BODY BEAUTIFUL/BODY HEALTH FORMULA"

80% is your nutrition.  In other words, how you look and feel depends on what you are eating.

10% is your training or workout routine.  SHOCKED?  So was I.

10% is genetics. 


Do what I did - start eating clean, STOP going to the gym for hours and start doing interval workouts. 

YOU WILL HAVE MORE ENERGY, YOU WILL LOOK GREAT AND YOU WILL FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF!

GO!

Good Day So Far

Today has been a good day so far and it is only 12:54!  Not saying much, but still a good day.  I started my day with the usual - a cup of coffee (Hazelnut) with some agave nectar and a lil whole milk.  My breakfast was a smoothie:

INGREDIENTS:

Mix of frozen, organic blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries
1 cup plain Kefir
1 scoop of vanilla, whey protein powder
1 scoop ground, golden flax seed
A lil OJ (as needed)

Blend together all at once in a blender (on liquefy).  I have to be honest - this was not my best smoothie, BUT it was still drinkable and kept me full for my workout.  I think the berries were a little on the sour side.  I should have added some agave nectar to sweeten it up but I was short on time. 

I have not been to the gym since January 2.  As M so delicately pointed out to me last night.  ;)  But I was waiting to see if I was pregnant and there was so much to do around the house.  Excuses, excuses. I know.  Anyhow - I could not go last week because of the m/c.  But I felt pretty good both mentally and physically this morning so I met Amy and worked out this morning.  Nothing like throwing yourself into a workout...YIKES!

It was titled "Total Body Assault and Battery."  Great name Ame.  Here it is...

http://amylynncircuittraining.blogspot.com/2010/03/circuit-training-57.html

It was BRUTAL!  I forgot to bring my heart rate monitor/calorie counter...but one of the guys who trained with us today (who is 70 mind you) said his read 609 calories.  We were sweating like little piggies...I felt great after!

I came home and was pretty hungry.  I decided to make a giant salad.  And I drank a giant glass of water.  Very tasty.  Mu is watching Toy Story 3 and I may take a 15-20 power nap.  =)

• Raw, organic spinach
• sweet butter lettuce blend
• carrots
• celery
• red cabbage
• chick peas (tons)
• a lil sprinkle of toasted onions
• homemade balsamic vinaigrette

My nap was fabulous.  When I woke up I had an apple with about 20 almonds as a snack.

For dinner I made Turkey Tacos with clean, homeade taco seasoning...recipe adapted from http://www.cleaneatingclub.com/

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground turkey breast
2 tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. paprika
3 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup water

TOPPINGS:

plain greek yogurt
chopped jalapenos
shredded cheese
beans of your choice (pinto tonight)
lettuce
tomatoes, chopped
fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS:

I stopped using the pre-made seasoning that comes with a taco dinner box about a year ago.  Have you ever read the ingredients in it?  Gross.  So I found this great recipe for clean taco seasoning.  It is so easy and very flavorful.  It can get a little spicy with the red pepper flakes so be careful.

Brown the turkey meat in a sautee pan and add all ingredients stirring/cooking until meat is cook through.  Bake the taco shells according to the packaging.  Arrange toppings on the plate.  Enjoy!

Mmmm Fresh Toppings



Ground Turkey

My plate...a taco, some greek yogurt (instead of sour cream) with cilantro and some Saracha!

Tacolicious!



Pan Seared Sesame Seed Crusted Halibut with Sauteed Spinach and Organic Rice Pilaf - Original Recipe

Absolutely Divine

One night last week I wasn't very motivated to cook.  When M got home, he asked what was for dinner and I told him I had no idea!  That was around 6 pm.  By 6:30 we were sitting at the table eating this fabulous and very easy meal!  I had some Halibut in the freezer (I always keep some fish in my freezer for this exact reason).  I had a huge bin of raw, organic spinach in the fridge (always have that in the fridge too).  And in my pantry were a few boxes of rice pilaf (always keep it stocked too).

I decided to marinate the fish in some Braggs Amino Acids, agave nectar, garlic powder and a little bit of sea salt and pepper.   I put it in the fridge while I cooked everything else.

I sauteed the spinach (see older post) with some Light Virgin Olive Oil, sea salt, pepper and fresh minced garlic (takes 5 minutes).

Cooked the pilaf according to the packaging (15 minutes).

I put the broiler on...while that heated up, I removed the fish from the fridge and coated it with a mixture of black and white sesame seeds.  Pan seared it for about 3-4 minutes/side and then I slipped it in the oven and broiled it for about 5 more minutes.

In a matter of minutes, literally, M and I were eating a meal that looked (and tasted for that matter) like we were in a fine dining restaurant.  Seriously!  The fish was juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside.  The flavor of the spinach and the sesame seeds was ridiculous!  It just goes to show that you do not need super expensive, labor intensive ingredients to have a delicious and very nutritious meal.  Get back to basics and eat naturally and clean and I guarantee you will never go hungry and always enjoy the food you consume!

I think M ate his entire plate in a matter of seconds.  I always know he really likes my meals when he eats it quickly and doesn't speak word while doing so!

Enjoy!

Steeler Playoff Game - Bison Chili for Tailgate

Shiitake Mushroom

Shiitake and Crimini Mix

Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

Mmmm...tasty!



Happy Friday!  This is the first time I am blogging live!  Meaning - I am actually posting while I am cooking!  Fun!

It has been a tough week for M and I.  We found out we were pregnant on Saturday morning only for it to end in a miscarriage on Tuesday.  But like everything in life, we are not in control.  God has a plan and only gives us as much stress as we can handle.  I am actually handling it better than the first one (March of 2010).  All we can do is pray that we get pregnant again and it is a healthy one!  We have two beautiful, amazing daugthers who we adore and are very thankful for.

On a lighter note - the Steelers play the hated Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field tomorrow at 4:30.  We had a bye last week, so if we win tomorrow, we are off to the AFC Championship (hopefully not in New England).

I decided to make something new for the tailgate - Bison Chili.  I have made chili before, but not with Bison and not this particular recipe.  This is a 100% clean recipe and it has been fun to make thus far.  I hope it tastes as good as it smells!  I got the recipe from googling "eat clean bison chili."  I acutally get 90% of my recipes from goggle!  Or my Clean Eating cookbooks.  Bison is a fantastic alternative to beef.  It is incredibly lean and full of protein.  One Bison burger can have as much as 28 grams of protein!  I hardly ever buy beef anymore - at least to cook at home.  However, I am not afraid to order a giant Prime Filet at a restaurant any chance I get! 

There are a lot of ingredients and it is a little time intensive, but it looks like it will be amazing.  Also - I am enjoying a nice glass of red wine as I cook this - as I said - it has been a tough week.  =)


INGREDIENTS:  (This recipe is not original.  It is adapted from http://www.organicauthority.com/).

3-4 tablespoons EVOO (I use Light OO)
1 pound grass-fed ground bison
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
4 to 6 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1/2 pounds crimini muchrooms, chopped
1/4 pound shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons of chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons adobo seasoning
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon chipotle seasoning (I used the sauce)
1 cup red wine (I used cabernet)
1 1/2 cups red kidney beans (I used Pinto)
1 1/2 pounds chopped organic tomatoes (I used canned)
3 cups beef stock
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons brown sugar (I used agave nectar)
1 tablespoon molasses
1 cup cheddar cheese (I used a Mexican cheese blend)


DIRECTIONS:

• Heat a deep, large skillet or a pot over high heat. Add 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and the meat. Season it with salt and pepper, browning and crumbling meat, for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer meat to a plate and return pot to stove.
• Keep pan at high heat, add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, coat pan, add the mushrooms and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sautee mushrooms until browned and tender, remove from pan.
• Add remaining veggies to the pan, once the onions, peppers and are soft add the mushrooms, back to the pan.
• Add 1 cup of red wine to pan to deglaze pot and reduce to a syrup. Add meat back to the pan, season with chili powder, adobo, cumin and chipotle seasonings.
• Add red beans, tomatoes, stock, bay leaves, brown sugar (I used agave nectar), molasses to pot.
• Simmer for 45 to 1 hour, until flavors combine. 

At home, I served it with a dollup of plain Greek yogurt and a little shredded cheddar cheese. 

At the tailgate, I had people grab a plastic cup, put the jalapeno cornbread muffin in the bottom of the cup and then pour the chili over it.  Grab a fork or a spoon and dig in!  It was very, very tasty and kept us all warm while hanging out before the game.  It was only 30 degrees for goodness sake!

Also -  You can make this a day ahead, reheat and serve! In fact it tastes better when the flavors are allowed to sit for at least one day.

Mmmm...Fresh CSA veggies!

Amazing!

Soba Noodles with Tahini and Sesame Seeds

This recipe is from The Eat Clean Diet Recharged!  (p. 357)



Fresh, clean ingredients!

Soba Noodles!

Done and Delish!

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp tahini

2 tbsp almond butter (or any other natural nut butter)

2 tbsp brown rice vinegar

1 tbsp agave nectar

2 tbsp low-sodium tamari (I use Braggs Amino Acids)

1 tbsp roasted sesame seed oil

1, 8 oz package soba noodles cooked according to packaging

2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted (black or white or combo)

sea salt, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

• In a medium saucepan combine tahini, almond butter, brown rice vinegar, agave nectar, tamari, and sesame seed oil.  Whisk mixture over gentle heat until well combined and a smooth sauce results.
• Add cooked soba noodles to sauce and toss to coat.  Sprinkle noodles with toasted sesame seeds and season with sea salt.
• Substitute peanut butter or cashew butter for the almond butter. 
• Add some Saracha for a little kick.
• Add any veggie you would like and/or chicken or shrimp.  Tasty!

Libby's Note:  I have made this several times.  It is quick and easy.  You can add anything you want to this dish.  I often make this dish when I am "cleaning" out my fridge.  I throw whatever I have in my fridge in it and it is always delish.  It also is very good as a leftover. 

The Nunni

Nunni with my oldest when she was only 3 months old (10/07).

Love and Miss you Nunni.

My maternal grandmother, Nunni as she was affectionately called, was born Carolina Rita Camilli on April 1, 1916 in Gallitzin, PA.  Where is that exactly?  Its a small town in Central Pennsylvania, near State College.  She had many names...Lena, Lee, Nunni, Caroline just to name a few.  Most of my (and my brother's) love of cooking is from her.  I grew up eating her food; whether it was her famous homemade gnocchi's and pitzelles or her famous breakfast goulash with eggs, zucchini and fresh tomatoes.  She was the ultimate clean eater.  Although it didn't dawn on me until she passed away and I started to eat clean and learn what it really was.

Nunni was like a mother to me.  She lived close to us and since my mom was a single mom - we spent a lot of time at her house.  Her house always seemed so big and warm and cozy.  It was always filled with good food.  You would never go hungry there!  She was always whipping something up.  She had little tricks of the trade that I still use today.

 Like this one...for really crispy, fresh lettuce - clean the lettuce thoroughly, dry as much as possible, put a paper towel on top of the lettuce and then cover the lettuce in a Tupperware type container.  Flip over the container and put it in the fridge.  It keeps the lettuce very, very crisp and cold!

Nunni never had milk chocolate in her house.  It was always super dark and bitter.  We used to complain that it tasted chalky and wondered why she would never get us the "good" stuff.  The many times I went to the grocery store for her - she never let me buy anything that was "fat free" or "sugar free."  She said that is tasted "fake."  She was also the first organic eater I knew (even though I had no clue what that meant at the time!)  Almost everything she ate came from her garden.  She cooked almost everyday and very rarely used ingredients that were unnatural.  She was actually still living by herself in her home even after she broke her hip.  Still cooking in her kitchen and still living independently.  I didn't know it then but almost everything she ate was in a natural form.  She could have written the original book on clean eating!

She had the largest garden I had ever seen.  It took up most of the back of her yard.  My Pap and Nunni grew everything from tomatoes to fresh mint. Dinner at Nunni's always consisted of a fresh salad, veggies and dip with her famous homemade yogurt, fresh Italian bread, some type of pasta and/or a pork chop. She loved her pork chops. She told us to chew on the fresh mint that grew along side of her house. It was actually quite good!

She also always made pancakes with Buckwheat flour. I honestly thought it was gross. Now all I eat is Buckwheat pancakes!  I owe my love of fresh veggies and fruits to Nunni too. We were always told to make sure we ate them. We did and we liked them.

She was a child of The Great Depression and NEVER threw anything away.  We used to joke about the mystery bags of food that she had in both her freezer and fridge.  She also taught me about not wasting food.  To this day, I make a meal big enough for two-three nights.  Leftovers are just as good as a fresh meal!  And you are not wasting anything.  I might only have two or three bags of mystery meat in my freezer!

Other memories are of taking the "T" into the Strip District to visit Penn Mac and other fine food stores.  We would get some fresh cheeses and meats and breads there.  On our ride home, we would break off pieces of Italian bread and stuff fresh slices of salami inside it!  It was delicious!  The combination of the food, the ride on the bumpy trolley and spending time with Nunni was the ultimate treat. 

It's no wonder she lived to be 93.  She was indestructible.  Even when she broke her hip in 2006 she didn't slow down. She actually got stronger after that accident. My youngest daughter was due on her 93rd birthday. She was born two days before. Abby's middle name is after Nunni - Lee. She never met her but I know Nunni sees her everyday.

She spent the last few years of her life living in Xenia, OH with my uncle.  He and my aunt took incredibly good care of her.  I will forever be thankful to them for that.  The day she died my uncle had brought her some dinner.  He made some pasta for her and some fresh bread.  They had a nice visit.  Later that day, she did was she always did, sat in her chair, reading a book (probably a mystery) or the paper, drinking tea (out of a very light mug).  When the aid came by to check on her in the evening, she had already passed.  Quietly and in no pain.  She was very healthy considering her age.  I know it was because of her diet, I swear. 

She died almost a year ago on February 22, 2010.  I miss her dearly and think of her every day especially when I am cooking.