SIMPLE SALAD

TODAY'S TOPIC 

7

Romaine Lettuce...Mmmmm, the greener the better. Not just because I like it like that, but for real, The greener the lettuce the more chlorophyll it has in it which means it has more power to oxygenate your cells.
It is believed that the more oxygenating foods you eat the more you can prevent health illnesses, namely cancer.

SIMPLE SALAD RECIPE:
1/2 Head of lettuce
1/4-1/2 of English cucumber
Small handful of onions
Small handful of tomatoes
Few green/purple olives
Splash of olive oil.

Let me know how you like it!

RICE NOODLES AND CAVIAR

RICE NOODLES.... MMMMMMM

So today I didn't have time to cook so I purchased these already made rice noodles. They were inexpensive, just $3.99 yet very filling. All you have to do is mix the caviar with the noodles and you're good to go... oh yeah, there's also a little container of sauce that it comes with which adds that extra little zing and makes a huge difference.

   "Noodle Basics
Before Asian noodles became popular in the United States, “noodles” referred to a product made from flour, water and eggs. Asian noodles are different because they don’t use eggs. In addition to rice, you'll find a variety of Asian noodles made from wheat, buckwheat and mung beans. Rice noodles are made from rice flour and water, or rice that’s soaked, ground into paste, rolled and cut into noodles. One cup of cooked rice noodles has 192 calories, 0.4 grams of total fat and 44 grams of carbohydrates.
Gluten-free
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye that works with yeast to make bread dough rise. It’s also a health problem for people who are gluten-sensitive or have celiac disease. Celiac disease, or sprue, is a genetic disorder in which the immune system reacts to gluten, damages the intestine and causes inflammation that can spread throughout the body. The only way to prevent this damage is to permanently remove gluten-containing products from your diet. Rice is naturally gluten-free, so rice noodles make a good replacement for noodles made from wheat flour.
Fiber and Protein
One cup of cooked rice noodles has 1.6 grams of protein and 1.8 grams of fiber. For men those values represent 3 percent of their daily protein needs and 5 percent of total daily fiber. Women gain 4 percent of their recommended daily intake of protein and 7 percent of fiber from 1 cup of cooked rice noodles..
Zinc
One sure sign that zinc is essential is that it’s present in all the tissues and fluids in your body. Without sufficient zinc, your immune system can’t work to its maximum ability. It's also a component of enzymes that metabolize carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Zinc helps regulate genes and it’s vital for the production and growth of new cells. Men should consume 11 milligrams and women need 8 milligrams of zinc daily. You’ll get 0.44 milligrams in 1 cup of cooked rice noodles, which is 4 percent of the daily intake for men and 5 percent for women.
Iron
In addition to its essential role in delivering oxygen to cells, iron helps your body produce red blood cells. An iron deficiency impacts your immune system because it’s needed for the development of white blood cells, called T cells, that attack infected and cancerous cells. On the other hand, too much iron is toxic. That’s a special concern for children. Accidental iron overdose is a leading cause of poisoning in young children, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. One cup of cooked rice noodles contains 0.25 milligrams of iron, which is 2 percent of the daily intake for women and 3 percent for men.

VEGGIE CHILLI

So yesterday was interesting. I felt majorly bloated, perhaps because my womanly visitor is on her way, which will also make me crave chocolate- but that's for another convo- So I was not feeling much happen in terms of weight loss. I didn't feel deflated, defeated or frustrated, I know how weight loss goes. After all, if you have been following my blog you would have read, I battled the bulge many years ago.

I'll keep it real with you, it's not like I started the gym or have been doing any activity out of my comfort zone to the lose the weight. My comfort zone is dancing in front of the mirror at home to my tunes that I LOVE, and I do my own thing, in my own space, in my own head, with not distractions. 

Sometimes I may break out the cardio videos and have them play on mute in the background just for some workout material ideas, but most times I just dance for 40-45 minutes, just medium speed. 

Okay, so back to yesterday. Due to the fact that I was feeling 'thick' for the lack of a better word, I made some homemade veggie chili and I'm telling you I felt the effects right away. The plum tomatoes are such an awesome source of fat shrinking goodness, it's amazing. Okay, so here are the ingredients so you can try it. 

VEGGIE CHILI

1 can of plum tomatoes

1 can of crushed tomatoes

1 can of red kidney beans

1 can of black beans

2 small cans of corn , or 1 large can

1 large onion

half of Garlic (three six cloves)

1 can of small tomato paste

1 or 1/2 cup of water

1 generous handful of spring mix

1/4 cup of brown sugar

ADD THE INGREDIENTS INTO THE POT ALL AT ONCE. 

BRING TO A BOIL AND THEN LET SIMMER UNTIL DESIRED LIKENESS. 

YOU MAY WANT TO ADD YOUR OWN TOUCH OF HERBS AND ADD MORE VEGGIES LIKE CAULIFLOWER, BROCCOLI, CELERY... IT'S ALL UP TO YOUR TASTE BUDS.

BEANS HEALTH BENEFITS

"Chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease all have something in common. Being overweight increases your chances of developing them and makes your prognosis worse if you do, says Mark Brick, PhD -- which means that trimming your waistline does more for you than make your pants look better. Brick, a professor in the department of soil and crop sciences at Colorado State University, is investigating the ability of different bean varieties to prevent cancer and diabetes.

Beans are comparable to meat when it comes to calories, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, a registered dietitian at Northwestern Memorial Hospital's Wellness Institute in Chicago and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. But they really shine in terms of fiber and water content, two ingredients that make you feel fuller, faster. Adding beans to your diet helps cut calories without feeling deprived."

CORN HEALTH BENEFITS

TOMATO HEALTH BENEFIT

Intake of tomatoes has long been linked to heart health. Fresh tomatoes and tomato extracts have been shown to help lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. In addition, tomato extracts have been shown to help prevent unwanted clumping together (aggregation) of platelet cells in the blood - a factor that is especially important in lowering risk of heart problems like atherosclerosis. (In a recent South American study of 26 vegetables, tomatoes and green beans came out best in their anti-aggregation properties.) But only recently are researchers beginning to identify some of the more unusual phytonutrients in tomatoes that help provide us with these heart-protective benefits. 

FAT FIGHTING SMOOTHIE

SCRUB YOUR FAT CELLS & SUPPRESS YOUR APPETITE!

Good morning Miss Smoothie!
Mmm I love this chic, she is packed with chlorophyll, iron, fiber and pectin.

Okay so this is what I put in this awesome smoothie to make it this morning, and I made it as simple as possible for you folks who don't want a lot of ingredients, but do want a lot of bang for their buck.
I added:
1 Apple,
A handful of Chard
A handful of Kale
Blended it all together and BAM! Yumminess!

This will help you to suppress your appetite, scrub fat cells inside out, and also increase your fiber.
ENJOY FOLKS.

DELICIOUS DULSE

Here was my delicious vegetarian lunch

-Fry it all in a pan with a little splash of olive oil. 

*Put the kale in first if you prefer it to be softer, maybe even add a splash of water*

-Do not over cook the chard or seaweed, so be sure to add them last

-This is where you want to add your seasonings if you haven't already.

ENJOY!!!!

AVOCADO SALAD

TRY THIS SALAD

OLIVES

TOMATO

AVOCADO

Hey everyone, Cerise here. Let's get right to it, I am overweight and it does not feel good. I'm not drastically overweight, trust me, I know what that's like. I was overweight before by 100 lbs. Yes you read right, one hundred pounds overweight. During both of my pregnancies I overate, didn't exercise and gained weight rapidly in just nine months each time. The first time I gained 100 lbs, the second time 80 lbs.
I gained the weight during my first pregnancy in 1989, lost mostly all except 20 lbs and gained again during my second pregnancy in 1995. In 1997 I lost the weight and pretty much kept it off until 2013. I gained a few pounds here and there throughout the 16 years, but nothing to worry about. I was able to quickly get back on track and whatever little pounds I gained, usually five or ten, I'd lose quit easily and quickly.
Last year I started to notice that pounds were packing on easily, like now I'm 30 pounds heavier than I would want to be. My height is 5'9 and my weight is 170 lbs. When I first gained the extra poundage I didn't mind so much. At ten pounds really didn't make much of a different, but then the next ten packed on so quickly that couldn't even catch my breath before the last ten just seamlessly laid on.
Nevertheless, I do feel healthy and fit, however, with this extra weight I am not feeling as sexy as I once did. I went to Cuba recently and didn't even take one bikini shot, well I did, but wasn't going to dare post it on any of my social networks, I mean the pics were not all that bad, but they were not all that great either.
So here I am now, 30 lbs overweight and wanting to badly get back down to my original size of 140. I don't look fat at all, and in fact if I didn't lose a pound again I'd be okay and look fine. It's just that, due to future health, I want to ensure that I am in tip top shape. I don't want to worry about doctor appointments, prescription meds and an unhealthy lifestyle stealing the quality of my life.

I will post pics next week and show you my weekly progress and weight loss. From time to time until Dec 20th 2014, I will post pics to show you what I'm eating and how I cooked it. WARNING I am a vegetarian so most of dishes will be mainly vegetables, but I will throw the odd fish, shrimp and seafood on the menu.
If are interested in joining me on this weight loss change, not challenge, then please feel free! The more the merrier.