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.

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

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

Staggering Statistics

Lately, I have been reading through some of the various Fitness magazines available at every grocery store checkout.  Some of the statistics they present are mind boggling.  Granted, I am not sure how accurate their sources are, but in most cases, if the data they are presenting is even half true, we, as humans, need to step back and evaluate what is going on with our health these days.  For example, one article I read stated “45 million Americans start a diet each year.”  But then I toggled over to a site I thought I could obtain some accurate data, the CDC and……  According to the CDC, over one-third of US adults (35.7%) are obese.  Factor in the % of overweight but not obese adults (33.3%) and you have a staggering 69% of the US population not at a normal weight.  Yet our grocery store aisles are overflowing with Healthy choice and lean cuisine meals.  Gym memberships are off the charts. Millions of people are starting diets every year!  So what is everyone doing wrong?

Honestly, I can only begin to guess.  First, I would fault all the “healthy food” we make available.  Lean cuisine is not healthy and either is “healthy choice.”  They have five days’ worth of sodium in one serving… okay, maybe not that bad, but close, haha.  We need to decide to stop eating out of cans and little plastic dishes with saran wrap.  Are we really that lazy these days that we cannot turn on the stove and steam some vegetables?  Also, one thing I learned from having a stress fracture is how important diet really is.  It is not beneficial to go to the gym for 2 hours and take a spinning class and some other high intensity cardio class, just to go home and eat three bowls of cereal.  You will not lose weight. 

Okay enough ranting about statistics, I need to figure out what I am making for dinner!

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal

My Very First Rant on my Blog!

I know a lot of people use their blogs to rant about this and that.  Initially, I did not want my blog to be a place for ranting, but I can change my mind.  If you don’t like it, stop reading and go clean your house or something, haha, just kidding, keep reading.

So here it goes: 1^st rant:  I recently read an article entitled “Why Women Can’t Do Pull-Ups” on the NY Times webpage.  If you would like to read the article in full, here is the link.  Or don’t waste your time, because it is a horrible article…. The comments are pretty good though.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/25/why-women-cant-do-pull-ups/

I will summarize the article for you.  Women cannot do pull-ups because a study was completed in Dayton, OH with 17 normal weight women who for 3 days per week for 3 months lifted weights to try and strengthen biceps and the latissimus dorsi, and at the end of the 3 months, only 4 could do a pull-up, so the obvious conclusion here is that all women cannot do pull-ups.  I think the most hilarious part of the article is the quote from the professor who conducted the study: “I look at a volleyball player and wouldn’t expect her to be able to do a pull-up, but I know she’s fit.”  Hahahaaa, sorry Mr. Professor, when I look at people, I automatically do not think about whether or not they can do a pull-up.

The worst part of this article is a woman wrote it!  Oh and the picture that headlined it.  The two women on the end look as though they are in agony!

Picture for the article "Why Woman Can't Do Pullups"

Here is a novel idea.  If you are a woman and want to do pull-ups, start practicing pull-ups.  If you are a man and want to put your foot behind your head, start doing yoga.  The point is there are many goals you can accomplish if you set out to accomplish them.  I do not look like a runner, and the aforementioned Mr. Professor may look at me and automatically think I am not a sub 4-hr marathoner…. BUT I AM!  Why?  Because I trained for it, had a goal in mind, ran in the sun and the rain, ran with sore muscles, woke up when I wanted to stay in bed, and oh yeah, ran a lot!

Can we stop telling people what they cannot do, fitness related or not?  Whenever I tell people I am completing the Paleo challenge and I do not eat grains or dairy, their first response is “Oh, I could never do that.”  Really?!?!  If your life depended on it or if I was going to cut off your leg, you would still stuff your face with a pint of Ben and Jerry’s.  Come on, that is not true!  For the record, I am not going to cut anyone’s leg off for eating Ben and Jerry’s.  Seriously though, take can’t and cannot out of your vocabulary!!  

~ Savannah FitNut aka Morgan McNeal