August Already and Almond Milk

"Fitness on the Rocks" - Denver

Is it August 1^st?  Where has the summer gone?  I know we (hubby and I) have been at the beach a lot, San Diego, Denver, and a few other places….. Oh wait, that’s where it went.  We have had so much fun though and the nice part about living in Georgia is we can still go the beach after Labor Day and swim in the water.

I mentioned my husband and I went to Denver.  My husband actually drove from Savannah to Denver with our friend who was moving there.  They packed up the Budget truck (which they named “Van Morrison”), put the car on the trailer, and were on their way.  It took about two days to cover 1,600 miles.  I, on the other hand, flew in from Chicago after all the moving was done.  J

When I landed in Denver, I instantly remembered why my husband and I wanted to move there about three years ago.  It is absolutely beautiful and everyone is extremely active, probably because there are so many options.  On Saturday, we went to “Fitness on the Rocks,” which was a huge fitness event on the Red Rocks.  There were activities all day.  It was supposed to be $20 for entry, but the girls at the check-in tent said people had extra tickets and she let us in for free!  To explain the “Fitness on the Rocks,” their website states the goal of the 2014 event:  “The goal this year is to create not only some kickass workouts in one of the best amphitheater’s in the country, but to acknowledge health and wellness as a whole. If you go through the whole park and visit all of our vendors, you can take in over two miles all while getting free samples and goodies!”  And that is just what we did.  Tried a new workout called “Orange Theory,” did a Crossfit workout with the mountains in the background, did a plank challenge, sampled some healthy treats, watched some tug-of-war, and the rice bag haul in which people carried 50lb bags of rice up and down the steps of the amphitheater.  It was a lot of fun.  

We also hiked a little bit of Dinosaur Ridge, before we headed back to Denver to hit up some of the breweries.  On Sunday, we went for a run at the park nearby, and apparently there was a 5K race…. They probably have them every weekend.  Running was a bit tough though, considering the altitude.  After our run, we walked to the neighborhood coffee shop for some delicious coffee with almond milk and one last game of dominos with our friend.  I know we will be going back to Denver soon.  I was already checking out flight prices.

Okay, so did you read above “coffee with almond milk?”  That’s right, the coffee shops in Denver have almond milk as an option.  That almost never happens, unless I am in a Whole Foods somewhere.  I really really love almond milk…. In my coffee, in my smoothies, just to drink.  I decided to make my own, and I actually cannot believe how easy it was.  I am not sure why I never tried it before.  One thing I will mention is the one suggestion I have is not to peel the almonds, it is a waste of time and it really hurt my fingers trying to get the shells off all the almonds, haha.  I made two batches, one with shelled almonds and one without, and I liked the one with the raw whole almonds (not de-shelled).

Almond Milk

Ingredients

1 cup Almonds

3 cups water (I used filtered Brita)

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

1.       Soak almonds in bowl for 12-18 hours (the longer, the better).

2.       After almonds are done soaking, de-shell the almonds by gently pushing the shells off the nuts if you want to try it.

3.       Put water and almonds in blender and blend for about 1 minute (until the nuts are pulverized).

4.       Strain the almond water mixture through a nut milk bag (these are awesome, super easy to clean, and cheap – I purchased on Amazon).

5.       Refrigerate and enjoy (lasts about 3 days).

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal 

It is Summer, Drink Up!!

Officially it was summer about a week ago, but unofficially it has been summer in Georgia since May.  I think there has been one weekend since then in which we did not go to the beach, and we have definitely been having a lot of fun in the sun.

I actually just returned from a vacation in San Diego.  It was beautiful.  My husband and our group of friends rented a house on Pacific beach.  It was absolutely great running on the beach in the mornings, and we even did a version of the Crossfit “Filthy Fifty” on the beach (the first exercise was 50 burpees, gross!).  I got sand in my eyes on that one, haha.  We visited a few different beaches, saw sea lions in the La Jolla cove, tried out a lot of different beers, ate Trader Joe’s cookie butter for the first time (like peanut butter, but 100 times better and certainly not healthy), and enjoyed some really good coffee.  It was an awesome vacation.  But home now and back to reality.

San Diego

Every summer, I start to get really tired of drinking plain water.  I am not sure why it does not happen in the winter… maybe because I can drink a lot of varieties of hot tea.  Anyway, water is boring sometimes, so I googled “water recipes.”  After I pressed Enter, I felt pretty dumb…. Water recipe, really??  But Google knew what I really meant, and returned a lot of recipes for homemade infused water.  I decided to try the lemon cucumber mint one since I had all those ingredients in my fridge.  It was delicious.  I took it to the beach with me on Saturday and it was extremely refreshing.  The combination of the cucumber, mint, and lemon was just right.  This will definitely become a regular beverage of mine, and it is super easy to throw together.

Lemon Cucumber Mint Infused Water

Ingredients
4 cups water
1 lemon
1 cucumber
½ cup mint

Instructions

1.  Slice up the lemon into thin pieces.
2. Cut the cucumber into small pieces
3. Throw the lemon, cucumber, and mint into the pitcher of water.  Refrigerate overnight or at least for a few hours.
4. Enjoy!

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Haters and Cauliflower

That is quite a weird title, huh?  Yes it is, but because this is my blog and you have the CHOICE to read it or not, I can title it whatever I want.  Everyone has choices every day, what they eat, drink, wear, whether they exercise or not, who they talk to, what they talk about, etc.  And yet, there are haters everywhere who want to tell people what they should or should not do, think, talk about…. Hell with the haters, I do what I want!
Seriously though, why do people waste so much of their energy trying to persuade others to change their ways??  I think they need to take a couple of yoga classes and refocus their energy internally.  But hey, that is just my opinion, and no one has to follow that advice, because they have the CHOICE to do whatever they want.  I post recipes, rants, advice, and just general thoughts on my blog.  If someone finds a new recipe to try or a new workout, that is great.  However, if they do not like my recipes, rants, or workouts, that is okay and 100% acceptable.  Go visit another of the 1.3 billion blogs on that thing known as the “internet.”

Okay, enough on haters.  Let’s talk about cauliflower….. odd transition??  Haha.

I love cauliflower.  It is best when fresh from the farmer’s market, but sometimes I buy frozen and it is still pretty versatile.  Mashed cauliflower, roasted cauliflower, cauliflower hummus, there are so many different things you can make, even cauliflower tortillas.  Yesterday, I tried making cauliflower tortillas, and they did turn out pretty yummy.  I added some garlic and jalapenos for a little kick.  I will say this though, they are really annoying to make…. Possibly because I did not follow the instructions on the various recipes I looked up, that step of squeezing out the water.  After I steamed the cauliflower, it did not seem watery, so I skipped that step.  When I baked the tortillas though, they were very difficult to flip.  Maybe next time, I will try squeezing out the water and see if they are a little easier to cook.  They were still delicious though.

Cauliflower Tortillas

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
1 egg
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp minced garlic
Salt, pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Put the entire cauliflower into your food processor, stem removed.  Pulse the head until it looks like rice.  You may need to do numerous batches to process the whole head of cauliflower.
3. After you have riced the entire cauliflower, cook the cauliflower in the microwave for about 6-8 minutes.  
4. When the cauliflower is done, try to squeeze out any excess water.  (A lot of recipes have said to do this with a dish towel, but I think the cauliflower would stick, so I skipped this step)
5. Mix egg, oregano, salt, and pepper in with the cauliflower.
6. Using a ¼ to ½ cup measuring cup, place small balls of the mixture onto a parchment lined cookie sheet (grease the parchment paper with olive oil).  Softly, press the balls down into tortilla shapes.
7. Cook for approximately 10-12 min per side.  Keep an eye on them and let them get a nice golden brown on each side.

Airport Food

I started my new job, and since then, I have been one busy bee.  I travel every week and not to the same place.  I was in Ohio, then California, then Texas, and someplace new next week.  I am enjoying the new challenge, but eating healthy on the road can be very tough.  I am doing well though.  Preparation is the key!  Usually, when I fly out, I pack turkey burgers, grilled chicken, tuna packets, hard boiled eggs, and some vegetables.  I can bring them through security, because nothing is a liquid.  Once I have landed in my destination, I will try to find the closest grocery store and stock up on some healthy items: water, salad, salsa, guacamole, cucumbers, zucchini, etc.

The hardest part of traveling has probably been when I am returning home.  I am tired, and do not have food to pack in my bag, and thus, only have airport food to turn to.  Although I must say at a recent layover in Atlanta, I had an orange salad that was amazingly delicious.  I tried to replicate it.

Orange Salad with Toasted Almonds

Ingredients

4 Medium Oranges

1 cup dried dates, chopped

½ cup slivered almonds

¼ cup Olive Oil

1 TBSP Lemon Juice

¼ tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cardamom

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. While the oven is heating, peel oranges, ensuring you remove the pith.  Cut the oranges into thin slices.
3. In a small bowl, combine olive oil and lemon juice.  Whisk to combine.
4. In the preheated oven, place almonds on a greased cookie sheet in a single layer.  Place in oven to toast (be sure to check on them every couple minutes, you do not want to burn them!).  Toasting should take between 5-10 minutes.  You want a nice golden brown color.
5. After the almonds are toasted, combine oranges, toasted almonds, olive oil, lemon juice, dates, cinnamon and cardamom and toss lightly.
6. Enjoy!

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Being Healthy and Zucchini Noodles

I posted on this blog for the first time on September 11, 2012.  A year later, and I am still enjoying it.  I never want it to become another item on my to-do list.  For me, this blog allows me to update whoever cares on what’s currently going on with me, and hopefully provides a few new healthy recipes to try.  I also do not know everything, so whatever I write is based on my opinion alone, the things I like to eat, like to do, etc.  My college degree is in engineering and the only “formal” education I have related to fitness and nutrition are my certifications in Pilates and Les Mills RPM.   Just so you know…….

With that said, there have been numerous articles flying around the World Wide Web and even on television regarding the dangers of certain exercises, the latest being Crossfit.  Without wasting too much energy refuting the claims, I just want to summarize a news excerpt I heard on Good Morning America the other day…….

“The newest craze in fitness – Crossfit.  A workout that has a lot of varied movements, people working at a very high intensity, and is becoming very popular.  But, coming up, can Crossfit kill?”

WTF?? I almost fell on the floor laughing when I heard this!!  Really, Crossfit can kill?  That’s amazing.  I have been doing Crossfit for over a year and I have never heard of anyone dying from it.  When I ran in the Chicago Marathon in 2011, a man died…. Obvious conclusion:  Marathons kill!  Seriously, though, when did exercise become a bad thing?  I think we all just need to settle down, do what you enjoy, whether that’s running, Pilates, Yoga, or yes, Crossfit. 

My husband found this picture and I think it sums up my thoughts on “Being Healthy.”  J  Being healthy is different for everyone.  Listen to your mind; listen to your body…. And then make these delicious Italian zucchini noodles, super easy with this amazing little tool I have and very delicious.

Italian Zucchini Noodles

Ingredients

2 Medium to Large Zucchini

1 TBSP Oregano

1 TBSP Basil

2 TBSP Olive Oil

Homemade or storebought marinara sauce

Salt, Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Use this amazing tool to make zucchini noodles. Official name: GEFU Spirelli Spiral Cutter.
2. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
3. Throw in zucchini noodles, oregano, basil, salt, pepper and sauté for 5-7 minutes.
4. Then add in your marinara sauce and stir, keeping on heat for 1-2 minutes additional.  I had some cooked chicken sausage too, so I threw that in there.
5. Enjoy!

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Buffalo Chicken Soup and Traveling

Where have I been??  I think the easier answer is where have I not been?  In the last four weeks, I have been to Chicago, Dallas, Virginia, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and various parts of Georgia.  I am not complaining, I am earning those Skymiles like no other.  J  However, as you all know, eating healthy while traveling can be a little difficult.  I always have tuna packets in my bag when I am in a pinch, but I only use those when absolutely necessary.

Also, another Paleo Challenge has begun.  It is amazing that a year has already passed and we are at it again.  I took my initial measurements this morning, and my beginning photos.  I am not going to lie; I was living it up this weekend.  I had ice cream for dinner on Friday night, bread on Saturday, and lots of wine.  However, for the next 8 weeks, Paleo it is, or I pay a big price…. Well 3 points for every cheat or something like that.  I am really looking forward to the challenge this year, because last year, I was only able to do the food component due to my stress fracture.  I have high hopes this year.  For my first official Paleo recipe for the challenge, I made a Paleo Buffalo Chicken soup from Paleoaholic.com.   Easy, delicious and spicy!

Paleo Buffalo Chicken Soup Recipe from www.paleoaholic.com

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower, chopped

4 Organic chicken breast

2 Tbsp Organic chicken stock

2 Tbsp Organic raw honey

3 stalks of celery

1 cup Franks red hots sauce

1 onion, diced

1 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1/2 Tbsp onion powder

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 Tbsp fresh parsley

1/2 Tbsp chives

1/2 Tbsp dried dill

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Using a large stock pot, add 8 cups of water, cauliflower and chicken breast.
2. Bring to a boil and reduce heat.
3. Once chicken is cooked remove and set aside.
4. Add coconut milk, chicken stock, spices, honey, and franks red hot sauce.
5. Use a stick blender and puree.
6. Shred the chicken with a fork and add to the pot.
7. Chop the celery and onion and add to the pot
8. Stir in the parsley, chives and cilantro and simmer for 20 min.
9. Serve and Enjoy!

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Injuries and Mousse

I went running this morning, and while I was running around the park, enjoying the 85 degree weather at 6 am (not really, it was soooo hot), I started thinking about my foot…. You know, the one with a stress fracture 11 months ago.  The human body is amazing.  I pounded on that foot again and again, mile after mile and then all of the sudden, a little fracture that I could barely see on the x-ray.  The body can do so much, but it is also fragile.  Take care of yours, because when something breaks or tears, it is upsetting and you always wonder what you could have done to prevent it.

Preventive maintenance is usually in reference to your car.  You do not hear that a lot in reference to the body.  However, I believe a healthy diet does wonders.  There are a lot of people I interact with that are overweight, sick, and tired.  I tell them about my blog in hopes they will try out a few recipes and maybe adopt a healthier lifestyle.  That is not to say, you can never have a treat.  There are plenty of ways to satisfy your sweet tooth.  See below!  This is one of those recipes I found in a magazine and wrote it down, tweaked it a little and it was delicious!

Not a Morgan Original Photo, but you get the point!!

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

3 tbsp coconut oil

1 oz 90% pure dark chocolate

3 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tsp instant coffee

6 medium dates

2 ripe avocados

1/4 cup coconut milk

2 tbsp agave or maple syrup (You can omit if you want)

1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Set a small metal bowl atop a small saucepan of water, filled about 1/3 of the way. Set on high heat until it boils, then turn down to a simmer.
2. Melt the first four ingredients in the bowl, stirring occasionally. Set aside while preparing the next part of the recipe.
3. In a food processor, add the remaining ingredients and blend until almost smooth.
4. Add in the chocolate mixture and continue to blend until completely smooth.
5. Scoop into bowls and place in refrigerator to firm up for four hours.

Enjoy!

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Birth Month, Celebrations, and Salsa Verde

What a weird title, which does not go together.  Haha, whatever, the title is informative after all August is my birth month!  Some people celebrate their birthday, I celebrate my birth month.  Official birthday is 8/8 and this year is a big one – the big 3-0!  30 years old, omg!  I do not think I will feel different though, and I must say I am happy with where I am in life right now.  My husband and I both have good jobs and we make the most of living on the coast.  We have lots of friends in Savannah and we are always doing something.  There is very little downtime around these parts. (Does that sound Southern, haha?)

I went to Miami last weekend to celebrate with my girlfriends.  It was a lot of fun.  There were a lot of laughs, good food, dancing, late nights, and yes, a little too much alcohol.  But it was a celebration and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I had a drink called “My Beets are fresh.”  It was made with yellow beets, passion fruit juice, cilantro, jalapeno, and tequila.  It was absolutely delicious.  It even had a yellow beet in it, which I ate.

Now I am back home and ready to whip up a new recipe or two.  In my farmbag last week, I received tomatillos.  My husband made salsa verde with them and it was absolutely delicious.  You can put this on anything and it tastes good: on a salad, on top of chicken, tuna, whatever.  The steps are easy too.

Salsa Verde

Ingredients

2 lbs tomatillos, husks removed

1 habanero pepper, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

1 Serrano pepper, chopped

1 Texas long pepper, chopped

½ bunch of cilantro

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ medium onion, chopped

1 lime

EVOO

Salt, pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat iron skillet (you can use a regular pan too) over medium heat.  Lightly coat with olive oil
2. Once skillet is hot, throw the tomatillos in and cook over medium heat for about 5 min.  The tomatillos will start to brown, so continue to move them in the skillet.  When they start to crack and are soft to the touch, they are done.  Remove from the skillet and set aside.
3. Now roast the garlic, onion, and all the peppers (EXCEPT for the habanero and the jalapeno – the air becomes deadly if you roast these in the skillet) for about 5 minutes.
4. Get out your handy dandy food processor and throw the tomatillos, the cilantro and the onion/pepper/garlic in.  Puree until smooth.
5. Throw your pureed mixture into a large pot and bring to a boil.
6. Simmer for about 20 minutes (the longer you simmer, the less spicy it will be).
7. Remove from heat and add the juice from the lime and your salt and pepper to taste.
8. It is best to put the salsa verde into jars and let it sit for about 24 hours.  Delicious!

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Cauliflower Hummus

California is so beautiful.  I had the opportunity to travel there last week for work and although I did not make it to the beach, the weather and scenery is absolutely gorgeous.  I was able to visit with my sister, and her constant reminder that I should move to California makes me think “Why not?”  But then, I drive on the roads and there is traffic at 8 pm at night, wth?!?  I decided I will move to California if I do not have to drive anywhere, ever.  You may wonder how that would be possible and I guess my plan would be to live and work in a city, maybe San Diego, I love it there!  Honestly, it was 95 degrees outside and felt absolutely amazing with the breeze from the Pacific.

Just an FYI for everyone, I really dislike coconut water.  While in CA, I went into a health food store and was talking to the cashier, and somehow we started talking about coconut water.  I told her I really did not like it, and she assured me I have just been drinking the wrong kind/brand.  She suggested one and told me I would love it.  Well, I didn’t.  It was gross and my sister drank it for me.  So in case you were thinking of buying me a case of coconut water for my upcoming birthday, please don’t!

Anyways, back home to GA finally.  Only for a few days though, then I will be traveling once again.  This time though, I am going to be a little more prepared with healthy snacks.  I had coffee for breakfast on Friday, because I was rushing to get to my flight.  Haha, whoops!

I attempted making cauliflower hummus.  I even made my own tahini paste.  It turned out pretty yummy!  Next time, I am going to add roasted red peppers and maybe a few additional spices, just for something different.

Cauliflower Hummus

Ingredients

1 Head Cauliflower

1/3 cup Tahini

1/4c EVOO

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

1Tbsp Lemon Juice

Salt, Pepper to taste

Toasted sesame seeds which I turned into tahini

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Chop up cauliflower into florets.
3. Place florets on greased cookie sheet and also spray florets with a little bit of olive oil.
4. Cook florets for about 30 minutes, checking every 10 minutes or so and moving them around so they do not burn.
5. Once cauliflower is roasted, remove from oven and allow to cool (I waited 15 minutes).
6. Place all ingredients into your food processor and blend together.
7. Let the cauliflower hummus cool and enjoy with vegetables, crackers, on a wrap, etc.

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Almond Butter Zucchini Bars

I hate mosquitos.  They are really annoying!  I was outside gardening yesterday with pants and a long sleeved shirt and somehow, some way, those little jerks bit me through my pants.  How does that even happen?  I was so mad, I went to Home Depot and bought about $50 worth of mosquito sprays, candles, torches, basically anything they had that said it would get rid of mosquitos.  When I was checking out, the cashier asked me “Trying to get rid of the bugs.”  Haha, yup!

And guess what??!!  Whole Foods is opening soon in Savannah, and according to their Facebook page that I stalk like crazy, they are opening August 13^th, less than a month away!!!!  I marked it on my calendar.  I drove by the store and it looks done to me, just put all those yummy groceries in there and let me shop, pretty please.

I must admit I have not been cooking as much lately.  I have been traveling all over, and cooking has not been in the cards.  However, my husband is in his bulking phase…. Yes, it is as annoying as it sounds.  He is eating 2 dozen eggs a week and whole milk and keeps asking me if he looks bigger.  Haha.  I told him that is one question I will never ask him.  He eats all day and packs a daily lunch which seems as though it would contain food for a week.  I decided he needed a quick protein snack, which would be good calories, but have the protein and fat you want in a snack.  End result = Almond Butter Zucchini Bars.  Zucchini is in season right now and it seems as though I can find so many uses for it.

Almond Butter Zucchini Bars - From http://www.hummusapien.com/paleo-zucchini-almond-butter-bars/

Ingredients

¾ cup creamy almond butter

1 heaping cup grated zucchini (1 medium zucchini)

1 egg

¼ cup pure maple syrup (or honey)

1 tsp vanilla

¾ tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp salt

¼-½ cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Stir together almond butter, zucchini, egg, maple syrup and vanilla in a large bowl until combined.

Add in the rest of the ingredients (except chocolate chips) and stir.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 for thirty minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Quick Pickles

Summer is always busy.  Even though my husband and I do not have any summer vacations planned this summer, it feels as though every weekend flies by.  It is already the middle of June!  From hanging out with our friends at the beach and the park to having friends come visit us, it seems as though there is never any downtime.  I am not complaining though.  I love being outside soaking up the sun and reverting to our childhood ways, screaming and yelling as we play games.  This is a total random fact, but the city of Savannah, GA does not sell Frisbees.  I am not lying.  We spent over 2 hours going into every single gift shop in the city looking for a Frisbee to no avail.  It was horrible.  The toy sections of each gift shop had fake guns, little stuffed ponies, but absolutely no Frisbees!  Weird!

With the days long, it does make it difficult to force yourself to be in the kitchen for extended periods of time trying out new recipes.   But, it is also the time of the year where produce is abundant.  The garden is doing well.  To date, the cucumber plant has produced the most.  We had picked a few cucumbers from the plant on Friday and decided to make quick pickles this weekend.  We bought fresh dill at the farmer’s market and had a lot left over to freeze for later use.  This recipe is borrowed from Rachel Ray and is quick, easy, refreshing, and delicious!

Quick Dill Pickles From Rachael Ray:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/quick-pickles-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

1/2 cup white vinegar

2 rounded teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon mustard seed

1 teaspoon salt

1 clove cracked garlic

2 tablespoons fresh dill leaves, chopped or snipped

1 bay leaf

3 cucumbers

Instructions

Heat small saucepan over medium high heat. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt, and garlic to the pan and cook until it begins to simmer and sugar dissolves. Toss the dill, bay leaf, and sliced cucumbers together in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the simmering liquid over the cucumbers and stir to evenly coat. Allow to cool to room temperature or chill before serving.

Enjoy!

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Pumpkin Pancakes on Sunday Morning

Sunday mornings are the best!  I absolutely love them.  I sleep in as late as I want and then slowly let the day start.  I have all the time in the world to enjoy all the coffee my heart desires.  I am not rushing off to the gym or to 100 other errands on my to-do list.  I sit on the couch in the living room (I honestly think this is the only time I sit there), catch up on blog reading or the news, look at 3,764 pictures of cute cats and dogs, and allow myself a little bit of relaxation.  It always feels amazing.  I do not rush to make breakfast, but finally when my stomach starts to growl, I hop off the couch and try to decide what to have for breakfast.  Usually, I will do eggs of some sort (over easy, poached, scrambled with lots of veggies), but there times when I am tired of eating eggs and need something a little different.  Enter these delicious pumpkin pancakes which are not your typical pancakes… they are actually more egg than pumpkin, but whatever, they are delicious.  I top the pancake with sliced bananas and a drizzle of raw honey.  You could use pure maple syrup too or unsweetened applesauce as a topper.

Paleo Pumpkin Pancakes – From http://fastpaleo.com/pumpkin-pancakes-from-practical-paleo/

Ingredients

4 eggs

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch salt

Instructions

1. Warm up a skillet on medium heat.
2. Whisk the eggs, canned pumpkin, and pure vanilla extract together.
3. Sift the pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and baking soda into the wet ingredients.
4. Melt 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then, mix the oil into the batter.
5. Grease the hot skillet and spoon the batter into the skillet to make pancakes of your desired size.
6. When a few bubbles appear, flip the pancakes once to finish cooking.
7. Enjoy!

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts are one of those foods I thought I did not enjoy eating.  Prior to a few months ago, I had eaten them two times exactly.  I was certain they tasted like feet and smelled like it too.  Then, we had a girl’s trip planned to Cumberland Island (so cute, you should go there!) and each of us made a few dishes to eat for the few days we were staying there.  My friend made Roasted brussel sprouts and I decided I would give them another try (they smelled yummy cooking).  Low and behold, the brussel sprouts were delicious.  After that weekend, I told myself I was going to try making them.  Well, each time I was at the grocery store, I would almost buy some, but always decided against it.  Then, this week, in my Local farmbag came brussel sprouts.  I had no idea how they grew.  I guess I never really thought about it, but now I know.  Pretty cool!  Although it did reinforce that I need to learn more about the food I eat and without further ado…..

Local Farmbag - No idea brussel sprouts grew like this!

It is time for a little rant.  BUY LOCAL!  Don’t be a jerk, haha, just kidding.  You are not a jerk if you do not buy local, but you should try to as much as you can.  My husband and I visited the farmer’s market on Saturday morning.  I love it there.  It is a small market, but they have a large variety of items.  We stopped at the organic dairy stand and talked with the farmer for just a few minutes, while his son went to retrieve a fresh gallon of milk out of the truck for us.  He talked to us about his farm, and we found out that he travels all the way up to our old home of Harrisburg, PA for the Farm Show every year.  I admit it, I am selfish, but it makes me feel good to buy local and support our local economy, especially one that is providing easier access to whole foods.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients

1 cup brussel sprouts (ends cut off and then halved)

2 slices bacon

Salt, Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. While the oven is heating up, start cooking your bacon on the stove.  Cook until crispy.  Remove your bacon from the pan and set aside.
3. With all the bacon grease left in the pan, throw in your brussel sprouts.  Cover the pan and let the brussel sprouts cook for about 5-6 min.  Make sure you tend to them, and give a good even stir every 2 minutes or so. 
4. When the brussel sprouts are browned, remove from pan and place on greased baking sheet.  Season with salt and pepper
5. Cook in the oven for about 10 minutes, then add your crumbled cooked bacon.  Cook bacon and brussel sprouts for another 10 minutes.
6. Enjoy!

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day Weekend!  I definitely did.  The weather was fantastic and I was able to enjoy every minute of it.  I spent time around town, drinking and eating too much.  Visited our friend’s pool for a little relaxation, and was even able to make it to the beach for a day.  Why are margaritas so delicious?  I do not enjoy the super sweet ones, but the margaritas made with tequila and lime juice, yum yum!

Memorial Day is the official start of the summer; not only in the south, but all over the place (I do not care what the calendar says!).  My parents in the North can finally start using their pool and the sunny days keep getting longer and longer.  I love when it stays light outside until 9 pm.  In addition to the sun staying out longer, it also comes out earlier, which means I can start my runs a little bit earlier and get a few more miles in, before rushing off to work. 

I have had to add to my morning to-do list to water the garden.  It doesn’t take long, and every day it seems as though my plants are growing a little bit more.  I made guacamole over the weekend, and it was nice being able to go out to the garden and just cut a bit of fresh cilantro to add.  I picked my very first cucumber and I was overjoyed.  It was big!  I also know there is going to be a lot of tomatoes to eat this summer.  A fresh salad that is great to bring to any picnic is a cucumber and tomato salad.  It is quick and easy to prepare, but very delicious!  Plus the cucumbers, tomatoes, and basil are all from my garden. J

Cucumbers, Peppers, and Tomatoes in the garden

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Ingredients

2 cucumbers

2 tomatoes

Fresh basil, a couple of leaves

1 TBSP EVOO

1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

Salt, Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Dice cucumbers and tomatoes.
2. Tear basil into small pieces.
3. Throw cucumbers, tomatoes, and basil into a bowl. 
4. Drizzle EVOO and balsamic vinegar over everything. 
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Enjoy!

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Spinach Turkey Patties

First beach visit of the season is complete with many more to come. Why doesn't everyone live near the beach? It was so relaxing sitting on the sand with the sun beaming down on me absorbing lots of vitamin D. I wore sunscreen although may have forgotten to reapply after we were there 8 hours. Now I have my base tan. No lectures please about me being a sun worshiper.  People think I look 6 years younger than I am, so when I quickly get wrinkles or whatever, I may look my age.  I look better tan, it makes my teeth look whiter. I think I will be back at the beach this weekend. Be jealous, it's okay.

I did a bit of traveling this week for work, just to Atlanta. Because I drove, I was able to pack healthy items. My hotel room also had a fridge, so I was able to buy some groceries at the local market, instead of eating out for every meal. I went to Whole Foods and honestly, cannot wait till they open in Savannah. They are scheduled to open in September and every time I drive by the site, it looks as though they are making progress. I'm excited!! Why? Because I need a place for better foods. I want good grass fed meats, more options for organic produce, and their smoothies are really yummy. Also, I think with the addition of Whole Foods, we (Georgia, haha) are providing more access to healthy foods. Don't get me wrong, I do not believe everything Whole Foods sells is absolutely healthy, but it does provide a lot of options.

Speaking of smoothies, I know I throw lots of spinach in my smoothies to make sure I am eating lots of greens.  I usually buy a huge container of baby spinach each week and sometimes, I need to use it quick.  So this week, I decided to throw a huge amount into some turkey patties.  Yum yum!  Also, sprinkled some bacon on top for garnish, haha.  Right, the only reason I ate bacon was as a garnish.  Biggest Lie Ever!

Spinach Turkey Patties

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1/2 cup egg whites

3 cups of spinach

1 TBSP Cumin

1 TBSP Chili Powder

1 TBSP Red Pepper Flakes

1 tsp minced garlic

4 slices cooked crispy bacon, broken into small pieces

Olive Oil

Salt, pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, throw your spinach in with a little salt, pepper, and olive oil.  Sauté until spinach is wilted.
2. In a large bowl, mix all your ingredients including your wilted spinach.
3. Form small patties from mixture and cook over medium heat, turning once.
4. Garnish with bacon.  J
5. Enjoy!

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Radishes, Jicama, I am trying new things!

I think I am open-minded when it comes to trying new foods.   However, when it comes to vegetables, I was almost certain I have tried all there is to try….. And then the other day I was on Pinterest and low and behold, a recipe for roasted radishes.  Radishes?  Hmmm, I have only seen those on salads and I never buy them.  I do not really enjoy the bitter taste.  From the reviews of the recipe though, I thought I would give it a try.  The recipe was simple enough and a 16-oz bag of radishes was $1.29, so I thought why not give it a try?  I am glad I did!  The roasted radishes were very good (however, some of the reviews stated they tasted like potatoes…. I did not agree with that, haha).

Also, a few months ago when I was in San Diego, I went to a restaurant and enjoyed a spicy shrimp burrito in a jicama shell.  It was tasty, but when I returned back home, I never looked for it, because I really had no idea what it was.  Then, our friend invited us over for dinner and she had raw jicama cut up.  Again, another amazing vegetable I have been missing out on.  Often referred to as a “Mexican turnip,” it looks like a white potato. You can cook jicama too, but I have been eating it raw.  It has mild sweet taste, but is good for dipping into homemade guacamole.

I decided I need a week off from work to make all the recipes I have saved, printed out, emailed myself, etc.  Honestly, I must have about 50 that I really want to try making, and just not enough time to make it all.  Do you think my boss will be okay with that?  Probably not, haha.  Oh, and I also just received a new cookbook from Juli Bauer of www.paleomg.com which has a bunch more recipes I need to make.  I am glad the radish recipe is easy to make and takes no time at all…. Leaves me time to make lots of other things (I miss my double oven!). 

Roasted Radishes

Ingredients

1 – 16 oz. bag of radishes

Olive Oil

Salt, pepper to taste

** Experiment with this, try different herbs and see how they turn out.  I used some fresh thyme from the garden and it was very good.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 455 degrees.  Place a piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet (helps with easy clean up).
2. Toss radishes with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl to coat.
3. Spread the radishes on the aluminum foil lined baking sheet in an even single layer.
4. Roast for 20-30 minutes.  Check on them frequently and give them a little stir to prevent burning.
5. When the radishes are a little brown, wrinkled, and soft, they are done.
6. Enjoy!

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

Beach Time Bliss and a Raw Dessert

Cilantro for Cinco de Mayo!

I have to say goodbye to April and hello to May, which when you live in Georgia means it is about summertime.  Soon, the weekends will be spent at the beach and my skin will turn a nice shade of brown.  Don’t worry, I will be wearing my sunscreen, but when you live at the beach, you are bound to get a little sun.  I am quite happy about this, as my white legs are starting to annoy me.  Haha.

My husband and I took a mini vacation to Chattanooga this past weekend.  We had planned to do a little trail running and simply unplug.  We stayed at a place called “Cabin in the Clouds.”  I booked it through VRBO.  It was a really cute cabin and had a great view.  However, it rained all weekend.  Kinda torrential downpour type of rain.  On Saturday, we did a little trail running and we were quite wet and muddy when we finished.  Sunday though, we had planned to go to the aquarium, but instead, stayed in our pajamas and watched movies all day.  It was a much needed getaway.

I was worried about my garden since I was away for the weekend, and it did not seem as though Savannah had the same downpour that Chattanooga had.  But luckily, everything still looks good.  I still need to buy stakes since the plants are growing taller and taller every day.

Recipe this week is a raw dessert.  While I was in Chattanooga, I was leafing through one of the magazines that were left behind and I found this amazing recipe.  I have no idea what the magazine was, so sorry for stealing the recipe, but it is too good not to share.  Enjoy!

Bliss Cup

Ingredients

¾ cup pitted dates (about 16)

3.5 cups of water

1 cup raw cashews

2 TBSP vanilla extract

½ tsp sea salt

3 avocados – peeled, pitted, and mashed

¾ cup raw carob powder

1 pint raspberries

1 TBSP agave nectar (optional) - I did not use it, raspberries were sweet enough.

Instructions

1.  Soak dates in 1.5 cups of water for 20 min.  Drain and reserve the date water.
2. Soak raw cashews in 2 cups of water for 20 min.  Drain and set cashews aside (you do not need to keep this water).
3. In food processor, blend ½ cup dates, half of vanilla, and half of salt until smooth.  Add mashed avocados and process until smooth.  Add carob powder and 1-2 TBSP of reserved date water.  Blend into smooth mousse.  Set aside.
4. In blender, combine cashews, remaining dates, vanilla extract, and salt and ½ cup date soaking water.  Blend until you get smooth cream.
5. Mix raspberries with agave in separate bowl.  The agave is optional though.
6. To assemble, spoon ½ cup of mousse into bottom of parfait glass.  Follow with ¼ cup of berry mixture, and then ¼ cup of cream.

** Makes 4 servings

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal