THE MOST DELICIOUS PANCAKE RECIPE EVAR!

Over these past few months I have learned a great deal. At first when I started eating healthy, I was super OCD about counting my calories, making sure I didn't eat past 7, and just being extremely strict in general with what I ate (no sweets ever, nothing with processed flour, no extra little snacks here and there). Let's just say, it was probably about to get unhealthy if I kept it up for too long... But then I went on a two week vacation to visit high school friends, and I all of a sudden began eating too much probably. But it taught me a lesson. When I got back home to Savannah, I was eating healthy again, but I wasn't as worried about counting calories as I was about just making sure I wasn't eating anything too awful in large amounts. Like, yesterday I ate a little bit of Cinnamon Chex cereal around 11:30 PM with my boyfriend. The day before that, I was at a gathering that was handing out free candy to everyone, and I ate three squares of Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate. And maybe a blow-pop.

And honestly, with all this intense running I've been doing, I think I'll be fine. As long as I don't start allowing myself to have a giant dessert everyday all the time. I just have to keep control over my eating habits, while still allowing myself a little slack. It may be difficult to find this balance and stick with it, but hey! I have my whole life to figure it out right? I have confidence in myself to do what's best for my body.

But, ahem. Back to baking.

Today after my gym workout (no running today - instead I used the Nike Training Club free app on my phone for circuit training and it was awesome!), I decided to get creative. Pulling from a few different recipes I had heard of before, I threw together an awesome pancake breakfast for one. I'm not exactly sure how much of each ingredient I used because I was so frickin' excited to try my creation that I just threw everything into a bowl and got straight to mixing!

NOM-NOM PANCAKE MESS

Cool name, huh? 

What you need:
1/3 C old fashioned oats
1/3 C 2% small curd cottage cheese
1 egg white
A splash of vanilla soy milk (to thin the batter)
A splash of vanilla extract
Cinnamon to taste
Half sliced banana (to add to the pancakes once they are already on the griddle)

What you do:
Mix all ingredients (except the banana!) in a small bowl. Use a hand mixer to soften/break up the mixture a bit, then pour onto greased/"cooking-oiled" pan or pancake griddle. Add banana slices. Let each pancake cook for about 2 minutes on each side on medium-high (depending on thickness), then flip! (Mine ended up being super messy when I flipped it because I absolutely suck at flipping pancakes.)

When I made it, the recipe produced about 2 medium sized pancakes - good for one person :) I topped mine with a bit of syrup and a few sprinkles of Kashi Go Lean! cereal. MM.

Also, I strongly recommend Stash Premium Tea's Chai Spice Black Tea, especially with a splash of Silk Vanilla Soy Milk. Soo good - and it gives me a caffeine kick in the morning!

Happy breakfast-ing!

Zucchini "Pasta," and other ramblings

Sorry for the couple day break! It's been a long weekend, working as an Orientation Assistant (helping incoming freshmen out) at my college!

Anways! I have heard about the recipe for a long time, and I thought I'd try it myself. I sort of played it by ear. It's a great and VERY QUICK recipe that works really well for days you don't feel like thinking too much about cooking. It's also an awesome way to incorporate veggies into your diet without really noticing it!

ZUCCHINI "PASTA"

One zucchini makes approximately one serving.

Soo basically what happens here is.. you make pasta. Out of zucchini. Yep.

What you need:

Salt (to add to boiling water.. I used sea salt)

1 medium to large zucchini 

Whatever toppings you would normally put on spaghetti! (e.g. mozzarella, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, etc.)

What you do:

1. Slice zucchini into skinny "noodles." Usually this can be done more efficiently (mine were thick, so I had to cook them for longer). I had misplaced my peeler for this meal, but I would suggest using a peeler if you have one (just don't make the "noodles" too thin!).

2. Bring about half a pot of lightly salted water to a boil (uncovered).

3. Add "noodles" to pot, and turn down heat to medium/medium-high. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, uncovered (the length of time will change depending on how thick or thin you sliced your zucchini). The key is to make sure that your zucchini is wilty/droopy and acts "pasta"-like when you hold it on your fork. 

4. Take out the zucchini and strain the water out. 

5. Put in a bowl, add toppings, and enjoy! (I used mozzarella and way too much Italian seasoning.. thanks to the lid falling off of the bottle. Blech.) 

ON TO THE NEXT...

I ran 10 miles this morning. At a 9 minute pace. In the sun - not my usual 6 AM dark, dark, dark run. I had two buddies (a trainer and a friend) to help push me out there. I love days where I challenge myself and push myself to the limit. If I can keep up a 9 min pace for my final half marathon, I will be as pleased as cheese (just made that up... wah).

By the way, I highly recommend the Nike+ GPS app for iPhones. It's amazing. I've never had any problems with it. Ever.

Love you guys!

Training & T.Z.T.

I have never been so ecstatic about exercise. It's truly wonderful. I've been getting 5 hours or less of sleep, which is AWFUL by the way - bad habit to drag yourself into. But, because I've been eating healthy and taking care of my body by providing it with all the nutrients it needs (and exercise), I am able to stay energetic throughout the day. This morning, I ran 4 miles (easy run to recover from yesterday), but, when asked to join someone at the gym this afternoon, I just had to go again. I mean, I wasn't doing anything else... right?

It's awesome. I hope I remain as excited about my well-being once school starts back up on Monday!

On another note, I burned so many calories tonight that I decided to play with some ingredients I had around the house tonight and make a hearty yet healthy (not to mention extremely yummy) meal.

I proclaim this new recipe "T.Z.T." - standing for "Turkey Zucchini Tacos." Randomest taco ingredients ever, I know. Get over it. They're delicious.

TURKEY ZUCCHINI TACOS

Makes about 3-4 tacos (I usually just eat 2)

What you need:
6oz lean ground turkey (room temp)
1 chopped fresh zucchini
1 chopped garlic clove
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp water
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Mozzarella cheese, to your liking
3-4 LaTortilla Low-Carb, High-Fiber 50 cal whole wheat tortillas

What you do:
1. Heat medium sized skillet/pan on stove with olive oil. Once hot (I put mine a little above medium level), add chopped garlic clove. Use a spatula to brown.
2. Once the garlic has browned, add the ground turkey to the pan. Add 2 tbsp water and spices.
3. Separate turkey with spatula, and cook on medium/medium-high heat (constantly turning/stirring) until the turkey is almost completely cooked.
4. Add chopped zucchini, sprinkle on a bit more curry powder if you want (sprinkle on a bit more water too), and turn the heat down to medium-low. Stir around the zucchini until covered with spices.

5. After ingredients are thoroughly mixed in the pan, turn the heat down to simmer and let sit for a bit. I usually let the mix simmer until I am finished putting away my dirty dishes and ingredients/warming up the tortillas and preparing the mozzarella.
6. Once this is all done, you're ready to scoop the T.Z.T. mixture onto your tortillas! Sprinkle each with mozzarella cheese.

Sounds like a weird combo but I swear it's to die for!

Enjoy! :D

STRANGE-YET-DELICIOUS: TALES OF A SECRET LOVE AFFAIR

A month ago, if someone were to suggest I eat anything involving Cottage Cheese, I probably would have gagged. My memories of Cottage Cheese from high school are terrifying, nightmare-ish, and shocking - to say the least (the thought of chunky dairy and melon mixed together just didn't do it for me, thanks to my friend Mary).

But now, for some reason, Cottage Cheese and I are having a little secret love affair, and I can't keep myself away from him. He's everywhere - almost, maybe, stalking me?

So, it's not a surprise that Cottage Cheese graced my first ever recipe, and is now making a booming appearance in the second. Here he is, starring in my...

STRANGE-YET-DELICIOUS APPLE CINNAMON BOWL
Recipe inspired by ANNE'S RECIPE

What you need:
1/4 C Non-fat or 2% Milk-fat Cottage Cheese (little to no sodium)
1/4 C Non-fat plain Greek yogurt (Chobani is my fave!)
1/4 C Unsweetened applesauce
A couple pinches of cinnamon
OPTIONAL: Stevia, to taste (if you have an insane sweet tooth like I do)

What you do:
It's pretty simple. You just mix it all together and scarf it down. In fact, I'm eating a bowl right now - well, I was, but it was so delicious that it pretty much disappeared within the first two minutes of me sitting down to blog.

And, how many calories per bowl, you ask? A mere 110. ONE HUNDRED AND TEN. With only 1g of fat. Perfect protein-filled, post-run/workout snack if you ask me.

Berry Cheesecake Breakfast Parfait!

Before I get down to business, I would just like to say that I feel super accomplished this morning. 5:45 AM 7 mile run, 5 miles at a 9:00min mile tempo (which is pace for under a 2 hour half marathon! Woo!). Let's just hope I can keep at that pace for 13.1 miles. I fueled with oatmeal and half a banana (mixed into the oatmeal) about an hour before my run (4:45 AM), and then post-run I drank coconut water to recharge my electrolytes (coconut is a great, healthy, and low-cal alternative to Gatorade, etc).

On sale for $3.99 at the local organic grocery store! What a steal! :)

I got back, did some ab exercises and a minute plank, showered, and then whipped up my latest creation:

BERRY CHEESECAKE BREAKFAST PARFAIT

You should try it. So good. And it's actually under 200 calories (165 without toppings, but with 1/4 C frozen fruit mixed in), with 18g of protein, 22g of carbs, and 1g of fat (great option for a post-workout snack)!

What you need:

1/2 C Chobani plain, non-fat Greek yogurt

1/4 C 2% (or non-fat) Cottage cheese, reduced sodium (small curd is preferable)

1 TBSP All-natural raspberry jam

Honey or stevia, if desired

*EXTRAS/mix-ins/toppings

Frozen blueberries, raspberries, or other berry

Granola 

Banana 

What you do:

Mix all of the original ingredients together (yogurt, cottage cheese, and raspberry jam). I also mixed in about 1/4 C of frozen blueberries and raspberries (they made it a pretty color!). If you want a fluffier texture, use a whisk. For a more cheesecake-y taste, add about 1/8 C to 1/4 C more cottage cheese. 

When the yogurt mixture is complete, scoop into a pretty bowl, add toppings, and, of course, snap some pictures. No breakfast is complete without pictures. 

Also, if you're not a big cottage cheese fan, NO FEAR! I'm not really either, but I know it is a good source of protein, so I add it. I can barely taste it though.

Nutrition Facts

(Columns from left to right: Total Calories, Carbs, Fat, Protein)

Enjoy!

FIT-NATION: STAY FIT ANYWHERE

Ever been upset with yourself because you are working 24/7 and don't have enough time to get motivated and moving? 

I have. Constantly. Like today, for example - I had training for work from 7:45 AM to around 9:30 PM (*I work as an Orientation Assistant for my college, introducing the incoming freshman to the school). Granted, I had a break from 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM, but working out right after lunch was a no-no, and then I had a few errands to run. HENCE, NO TIME TO WORKOUT. BESIDES MAYBE A MILE RUN AND SOME CRUNCHES. Not good enough. Sighhh... Life is tough, no?


Absolutely not. Life can be simple if you make it simple. That's why I'm writing this post today. To inform you that there are, in fact, many ways to incorporate calorie-busting activities throughout your work day. Just keep it simple. (Ahem, unless, you are a crazy person like me who gets up to run at 5 AM or works out in her room at 9:30 PM). OBSERVE.

I do not take credit for this image.

1. Take the stairs.
Well, now of course you're like Duh, taking the stairs burns more calories than taking the elevator. But how many of you actually do that? If you don't now, you should. Climbing just two flights of stairs everyday could result in a weight loss of 6 pounds per year. Six flights could help you cut almost 18 pounds.* And half the time, taking the stairs is actually faster than waiting for the elevator. Not only do the stairs burn calories, but they also burn stress, which is something I have had to deal with constantly. I started taking the stairs during my first job this summer as a camp counselor for high school students (I had to climb four flights of stairs multiple times a day). I immediately noticed a heightened energy level and a lower stress level.

*Information from Senior Life Health

I do not take credit for this image.

2. Drink more water.
To me, it seems that the more water I drink, the less unnecessary snacking I will be doing, especially at work. It satisfies cravings for the most part - because a lot of the time when you think you're hungry, you're actually just thirsty! Not only will you snack less, but you will probably burn more calories by walking to the drinking fountain or constantly breaking for the bathroom (hehe).

3. Walk to lunch.
OR, you could even work out during your lunch break - there's a thought. But really, find a healthy place nearby to grab a quick lunch. If your lunch is really quick, you might even be able to go for a longer walk during lunch. You can even pack your own lunch and walk somewhere pretty to eat. Grab some friends to go with you.

4. Eat a balanced breakfast - or at least eat SOME breakfast.
I can't stress enough how important it is to get in a good breakfast. Seriously. Eating breakfast jump-starts your metabolism from the get-go and helps you to burn more fat/calories throughout the day. It will probably also prevent you from constant, unnecessary snacking throughout the morning (snacking is good, but not excessively, and not with junk food!). Some examples of great breakfast choices are a serving of oatmeal or whole grain cereal with non-fat or skim milk and a hard-boiled egg. Or maybe a bowl of berries or other fruits with plain Greek yogurt and granola! Peanut butter on whole wheat toast and non-fat milk is also another great option. And, don't forget that every breakfast should include a glass of water! (I think my next post will be about balanced breakfast options!)

5. Stand more.
Always look for opportunities to stand - in a meeting, while on the phone, during a lecture, whenever. Seriously. The more you stand, the more you burn.

This is my friend Emily - isn't she purty!?

6. Make the most out of your commute.
If work is too far to walk, you could try biking. If work is too far for either of these options, try parking or getting off the bus stop a few blocks away and walk to your destination instead. Every little bit counts!



Most of these "activities" may seem extremely minor, but by making an effort to implement them on a daily basis, you will definitely see improvement over time. It may be slow and steady, but combined with healthy eating and other exercise (even if just on the weekend), this will truly make an impact. No doubt about it - this has all worked for me over the past four months.

Pardon me for the totally NON-personal post! I will be updating you guys tomorrow with pretty new pictures of my OWN food - and maybe even my first recipe! I'm so excited :)

-Sarah Beth

ODE TO FOOD

Over the slow, rambling three months of summer, I have come to enjoy creating healthy, delectable, and attractive dishes. This combined with my love for photography has nurtured somewhat of a new passion - food photography!

I know it is my first official post on this blog, but, you know... food is my favorite thing ever, so... I'm going to post photos of it. My photos. :)

Oh, and HI. My name is Sarah Beth.

Oatmeal.flax-seed pizza crust with feta, spinach, basil pesto, and ground turkey

Roasted chickpeas with Italian seasoning and mozzarella 

Green smoothie with raspberries, banana, diced Gala apple, soy milk, spinach, and stevia

Salmon, quinoa, and veggies 

Berry breakfast smoothie with Live Leaner cereal!

1/2 medium frozen banana
1/2 C frozen blueberries
1/2 C frozen raspberries (or strawberries)
1/2 C plain Chobani yogurt
1/2 C Light Vanilla Soy Milk (or milk of choice)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (if desired)

Stone ground whole wheat toast, raw sourwood honey, banana slices, bran flakes, chocolate protein drink, and Rainier cherries. MM.

Cashew chicken with rice and broccoli

Banana walnut bread