Weekly Meals: Feb 20-26

Monday
Veggie soup (I already posted the recipe in another post)

Tuesday
Sesame chicken
Recipe
Asparagus
Quinoa
-I used whole wheat flour
-I used regular pepper instead of the 4 blend
-I used tamari instead of soya sauce

Sesame chicken, asparagus, and quinoa

Wednesday
Scallop tacos with red/yellow/orange/green peppers, onions
Recipe
Whole wheat tortillas
Lettuce

Scallop tacos

Thursday-Treat night not clean but still healthy
Greek salad
Gyro with tomatoes and tzatziki on whole wheat pita

Friday
Mike had pizza (I had a couple bites I couldn't resist!)
I had leftover veggie soup but added in some leftover quinoa, awesome combo!

Saturday
Turkey burgers-I've already posted this recipe
Whole wheat skinny buns (PC brand Blue Menu)
Roasted seasoned potato wedges
Recipe
-Instead of using cumin and chili powder, I used garlic powder and cajun seasoning so they had a little kick to them. They were a great substitute for deep fried fries!
Salad

Turkey burger, seasoned potato wedges, and salad

Sunday
Creamy tomato pasta
Recipe
-I added zucchini, mushrooms, frozen peas/carrots, no onions
-I used PC Blue Menu diced tomatoes (no salt or sugar added)
-I added in a spoonful of ricotta to make the sauce a little cheesy
-I used Italian sausage instead of steak
Brown rice pastaRecipe

Slow Cooker Sunday: Leftover clean veggie soup

I always have veggies left over at the end of the week, that will go bad unless I use them within a day or two. I found a clean recipe for a soup using all of these leftover veggies.
Check out the recipe here.

I used these veggies in mine:

• onion
• carrot
• celery
• yellow, orange, and red bell peppers
• mushrooms
• sweet potato

Leftover veggie soup

YUMMY! I'm going to keep this in the fridge for easy re-heating at lunch during the week:)

Healthy Goulash

After being with Mike (who is German) for over 5 years now, I finally decided it was time to try cooking one of our favourite meals...goulash! I called up his mom to ask for her recipe (because hers is soooo tasty). I pretty much couldn't use any of the ingredients she was telling me...so I had to improvise. The recipe I found online that I planned to use was an authentic Austrian goulash, whereas his mom's is a Hungarian goulash. I warned Mike before trying it that it wasn't going to taste like his moms, but to keep an open mind!

My first attempt at goulash

Here is the original recipe I found for the authentic Austrian Goulash.

Mike's moms recipe was a little different:
1 lb stewing beef
2 tbsp oil
2 onions chopped
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tbsp worchesterchire
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp cornstarch & 2 tbsp water to thicken

So the issue I had with the first one was that I couldn't find the Hungarian paprika, so I just added a bit more regular paprika.
I had a few issues with the second one, in that I didn't want to use half the ingredients. Here are some of the changes I made, but I incorporated both recipes:

• I used EVOO to brown the beef instead of a vegetable type oil
• Instead of brown sugar I put a couple squeezes of organic honey
• I didn't use vinegar
• I didn't use the cornstarch to thicken
• I used whole wheat egg white noodles

In the end it actually turned out quite well. It's a nice hearty beef "stew" that will definitely fill you up!

Week 2: Vitality

Week one is now behind me. I have already learned a lot about myself: mind, body, and soul. Week twos focus is vitality.
Baron states, "Vitality is simply an energy that comes from living a life of enlightened knowledge and action. When we do what we know to be right and true, we are revitalized and renewed right where we live" (p.101).

Week 2!

Week 2: Yoga Practice
This week I increased my practice by 10 minutes, for a total of 30 minutes each practice. Some of my favourite poses to do this week were trikonasana (triangle pose), vasisthasana (side plank), and ustrasana (camel pose). A pose I had trouble with this week was utkatasana (thunderbolt). Anything to do with utkatasana was a struggle for me this week. Prayer twists were the worst. I had so much trouble just being in the pose, and I always feel that my hips aren't low enough.

Week 2 nemesis...aka Utkatasana (thunderbolt)

This week I changed my practice time to the evening, because I felt in the mornings my body was so stiff that some of the poses were painful. Seems to work out better, as I guess during the day my body is loosening up. I think the fact that I don't have a lot of heat in the room also keeps my body a little stiffer.

Trikonasana (triangle pose) in Jamaica 2011

Ustrasana (camel pose)-this one makes my head tingly!

My full expression of Vasisthasana (side plank)

Week 2: Meditation
This week I increased my meditation time to 10 mins in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening. I again had trouble at the beginning of the week, but on Monday of week 2 I had a breakthrough! Instead of using the meditation podcast or cd I had been using the entire first week, I just sat there in silence. I of course then didn't know how long 10 minutes was, so I ended up checking the clock. I thought it would say maybe 5 minutes, but I was 8.5 minutes in! So from then on I have not used any meditation guidance and just settled into the silence. When I go to the studio I do my meditation before class, and then I set an intention at the end of my meditation for my practice. This is my favourite place to meditate. The room is warm, lights are low, and I find there are less distractions for me.
The focus for this week's meditation was to bring awareness to the tapes that play in my head that rob me of my vitality.
"We all have tapes running in our head that tell us we aren't smart enough, good enough, thin enough; that we need to please people; that we should worry; that we have no choice but to obsess, be angry, be resentful, or be fearful" (p.121).
I was to pull the top ten from these tapes, and recognize the patterns that loop in my mind, and then LET THEM GO. Baron explained that you will realize how draining it is to listen to these tapes. And it was! Here are a few of the tapes that were playing in my head:

• I never get any "lucky breaks"
• I'm too lazy
• It's too late for me to succeed in life
• I'm a failure

Whomp whomp...I think it's safe to say I should let these ones go!

Week 2: Balancing Diet
This week in terms of my diet, I was to focus my food choices on fresh food. Not canned, refined, packaged, frozen, or microwavable, and no drive-thru! Also ask myself "where does my food come from?". Thinking about how my food got to me will help form a closer connection to it. It will allow me to have a deeper appreciation for the whole cycle of growth, life, and nourishment.
I can't even remember the last time I ate fast food. The last few times I ate fast food it tasted so good as usual, but afterwards I felt so guilty. My stomach would feel so full and heavy, and most of the time I would have indigestion. When I started my clean eating endeavour I noticed almost immediately how light all the meals I was making were. I was satisfied at the end of my meal but not full and bloated like I used to feel. Eating fresh ingredients will always be important to me, but I also realize that once in awhile I do need that comfort food. Baron talks about how "health food and wholesome foods are different in that health food is fresh and it cleanses and enlivens. On the other hand, wholesome food (like a sugar cookie at a holiday meal) doesn't necessarily cleanse but it does comfort and nourish us on another level. We need to find ways to marry these two, it's all a balance of proportions, and of feeding ourselves on all levels" (p.120). After I read this I felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. It allows me not to feel so guilty when I need food for comfort, or when I want to treat myself.

Week 2: Excavation Questions
What is my most courageous act? Courage doesn't always mean heroism-often courage can show up in more subtle ways, such as having the courage to leave a toxic relationship, to try something you've never done before, or to take a different path than those around you.
I think to date my most courageous act that moving across the country with Mike, after we had been together for less than a year. We had only lived together for about 3 months, and were moving into the complete unknown. It was scary, but I was so happy we did it. So many situations arose that allowed us to work on our relationship, and ourselves that it really has become an important part of our lives. 
I've also left some toxic relationships in the past. I had the idea that I was going to "fix" my partner, and really in the end I always realized that I'm the one who needed to change. I deserved to be with someone who complimented me by being themself, not by changing into what I wanted them to be. 
In terms of taking a different path, I'm doing it right now. I decided that after New years 2011, I would try not to drink alcohol. I wanted to cleanse my body and feel what it would be like not to drink. Would I still be able to have fun without it? Would my friends make a big deal of it? Would they judge me? It has been about a month and a half now since I've had alcohol, and it has been one of the best decisions for me right now. I feel great! I haven't had too many issues with my friends about it. Some of my friends have even surprised me by being completely understanding and supportive. 

Mike and I aboard the S.S. Chi-Cheemaun, the first leg of our move out west, August 2007

What are the forces in my life that drain my energy?
Negative people. Pessimists. Drama. Worry and anxiety.
Whom do I resent, and how is that resentment affecting me?
I resent people who don't have to worry and stress about money. I'm jealous of them! I have made so many changes to how I spend/save my money and it seems to get me nowhere. Then there are people who just have it easy! This resentment affects me negatively. I have to understand that every situation is different. 


Moving on to week 3!

Namaste!

Week 1: Presence

The Journey has begun! My 40 days started on Wednesday February 1st. It has been great so far! Week ones focus is PRESENCE. When I was reading the introduction to this week, I immediately realized that I so obviously wasn't fully present in many areas of my life. Baron describes it as being "disconnected from consciousness" (p.62). The focus this week is to wake up! Becoming fully present to your mind, body, and life. More importantly I need to discover the obstacles in my way to being fully present. There was a really powerful paragraph in this chapter that I had to include in this post because it really opened my eyes:

"For many of us, it is our own delusions and problems. When we awaken to the truth that is causing these problems, we are set free from our slavery to food, alcohol, overeating, obsessive thinking, or whatever binds us and weighs us down. As we wake up, we become more compassionate with ourselves. As we gain new insights about our thoughts and behaviors, we recognize that we are not hopelessly defective or demented. We realize that struggling and fighting with our symptoms only entangles us more deeply, and using willpower to change a habit is like trying to think away a broken leg." (p.63-64).

Wow! That last part about using willpower to change a habit is a big one for me. I always thought I needed willpower to stop eating those chips...little did I know there's a reason why it never worked, and it's not that I didn't have enough willpower.

Each week there will be a different focus, and 4 different areas in which to apply this focus:

1. Yoga practice
2. Meditation
3. Balancing diet
4. Excavation question

I'll be giving a little summary for each area, and that will include things I had trouble with.

Week 1 begins!

Week 1: Yoga Practice

The first week starts out with a 20 minute practice. The book actually lists the poses and order to do the poses in, in case a beginner is doing the program and is unfamiliar with the Baptiste flow. I didn't have a problem doing a 20 min practice. It worked into my schedule well. The first week I did my practice in the morning. I would wake up at 5:30am, do my 5 minutes of meditation, and follow with my 20 minute flow. I used the cd I got in my bootcamp box, because it has three 20 minute practices. I switched them up everyday to keep it fresh. I had also downloaded some podcasts from Power Yoga's Kinndli on itunes. Check them out here. I also used her meditation podcasts. I missed two 20 min practices in week 1, but did two 1 hour practices at the studio on other days. The yoga practice has been my favourite part of this program so far!

Dhanurasana (bow pose)

Week 1: Meditation

Week one is 5 min meditation in the morning and 5 min in the evening before bed. I missed one bedtime meditation this week. The meditation part is the hardest for me thus far. I have so much trouble letting go and being present. It's very hard not to acknowledge and grab onto the thoughts that come in and out of my mind. In the morning mediation I would be thinking of all of the things I had to do that day. The evening mediation was a lot easier for me, and really relaxed me before bed.

Week 1: Balancing Diet

I am journaling everything I eat during the program which will help me to balance my diet.

Baron talks about how we all have different body patterns, and about how if we spend too much time thinking about what we eat it will ruin our enjoyment of food and cause problems in our head and belly (p.94).

The first set of patterns are hot/cold body patterns. When your body has an excess of heat of cold, we can see many problems like high/low blood pressure, being overweight, and being fatigued. Figuring out where I fall on this continuum will help me make the changes I need to in order to make my body more balanced. He then goes on to describe some characteristics of people who have an excess of heat or cold. I definitely fall into the cold category! Here's the description:

"Those with an excess of cold generally dislike cold weather. They like warm or hot beverages in sips, do not sweat easily, and curl up when sleeping. They may have soft voices and pale skin. Those who are cold-excessive are usually quiet and reserved in nature" (p.95). This couldn't describe me any better. I am ALWAYS cold (I get in trouble for wearing flannel pants and socks to bed every night)! I drink probably 3 teas a day that must be piping hot. Unless I'm in the hot room at yoga or I'm doing high intensity cardio I don't tend to sweat easily. I sleep in a ball (which Mike hates!). So the soft voice and pale skin thing isn't really me...but you can see pretty much all the veins in my body. And I am a pretty quiet person.

The book has a list of more heating and more cooling foods. Because I'm journaling my meals I was able to see if I am eating more heating or cooling foods. I tend to be eating more foods on the heating side, which makes sense since my body pattern is more cold. Things like turkey, chicken, nuts, grains, garlic, onions and peppers are included in my meals throughout the week, which are all on his heating list. Some things on the cooling list were salads, fish, dairy, peppermint, green tea, and celery. He also has a scale indicating that the more heat you use in cooking the more heat it adds to your body, and to cook according to what your body pattern needs. Raw is at one end, and deep fry is at the other. I have not eaten anything deep fried in about a month and a half. I generally bake, saute, or stir fry, which come in at the middle and go towards the heating side.

Another pattern is deficient/excessive body patterns. So when we are either in a building or cleansing phase. If we need to build (feeling weak, run-down, thin, fragile, anxious without knowing why), it means we have deficiencies. If we are in excess (overweight, accumulation of toxins, sluggishness, fogginess in the head, overburdened), it means we need to cleanse. Foods that cleanse are water rich and light, foods that build are nutrient dense and substantial. Some cleansing foods are: carrots, salads, soups, spices like ginger and peppermint, and water based fruits and veggies. Some foods that build are: whole grains, starchy foods, all processed or refined foods, dairy, root vegetables, pasta, oils, and dense meats (beef, lamb, pork).

My homework for this area was to identify myself within these patterns, and then start to incorporate some of the foods my body needs to become more balanced. So I already determined that I'm in the cold pattern, and I think I'm more towards the excessive pattern. While I have cut almost all processed foods out of my diet in the last 2 months, I still eat whole grains, root veggies, pasta, and oils. I am not really a red meat eater, so all of my meats tend to be on the cleansing side. I will work towards reducing the amount of building foods in my diet in the coming weeks.

Week 1: Excavation Questions

The excavation questions each week are all personal questions to get to the root of who you are. It's weird how you think of yourself one way but when you actually answer these questions on paper you see the truth. I committed to being completed honest with myself for these questions. I'm going to list just a few...

What are my beliefs about:

• My body (Too heavy, too weak, or just right? Does it serve me well?)-In terms of how my body looks on the outside, I'm happy with it. I would like to gain more strength to help me struggle less in some of the poses I find more difficult.
• My relationships (Nourish me? What purpose do they serve in my growth and life? Am I treated as I want or should be?)-Hmmm this one was tough. I have a few relationships that I've pulled away from in the last probably 6 months because they just weren't working for me. Basically I felt as though the relationship just wasn't what I wanted anymore. Some relationships run their course, and it's not always a good or bad thing, it just is. I came to a point in my life about 6 months ago where I wanted my friendships to be more than what they were. Lots of "surface" type friendships. A good friend once asked me "Why are you always worried about having a group of friends, rather than focusing on having a few really good true friends?". Good question! On the other hand, my relationship with Mike has grown a lot, especially since we got our puppy. We have to communicate more, and I feel that there have been lots of changes for the better that have allowed us to grow together, and love each other more.
• My work (Is it fulfilling?)-My job is just that...a job. It's not a career, or something I want to be doing very much longer. It is however paying the bills, and it's not so bad. It is working for me right now in my "grand scheme of things". It is not fulfilling, but I am aiming to work towards a job that is, and that requires me to pay the bills and save some money right now. So that's what I am doing. I am working to have a fulfilling job in the next 5 years.
• Spirituality (Do I believe in a higher power?)-I don't necessary believe in a higher power the way most people would do, but spirituality has never been something important in my life. I am learning now that it isn't about religion, it's about connecting with yourself, and simply believing there is a power around us that affects us.
• Money (Root of all evil or give me freedom to do what I want? Do I have a lot of fear around making or keeping it?)-Ugh...I really don't like the idea of money. I know we need it to live and whatnot, but I hate how sometimes it is the focus of life. How much you have, how much you don't have. Who has more, who has less. So and so has a lot, I have none. It causes so many problems in relationships and even friendships. It's cliche but the saying "money doesn't buy happiness" is true, and when people around me are too focused on it I don't want to be around them.

I love the part of Lululemon's manifesto that says "Friends are more important than money". Courtesy of lululemon.com

Where in my life am I flirting with disaster?

DRAMA. It's so hard not to get caught up in what someone said or did. Mike always asks me "Why do you care?". Why DO I care? This is something that has changed in the last few months. Once I realized that the drama surrounding some people around me was not benefiting me at all, it was a lot easier for me to distance myself from it, and them.


I wonder what week 2 will bring?


Namaste!

Butternut Squash Soup

So this past weekend I made turkey chili in the slow cooker again, a recipe that I have already tried and posted. During the week however, I made my first batch of butternut squash soup. It is delish! The only issue I had was that I think instead of simmering I ended up boiling it at too high of a temperature so I lost too much of the liquid and it was a little thick. Still very tasty though, and I just added some water before serving.
Recipe
I didn't add any pumpkin seeds but I think next time I will add toasted pine nuts. I also used 2 cups of vegetable stock and 2 cups of chicken stock, instead of all chicken. The soup is so flavourful and has a kick to it. I also made this on a week night, in about an hour, and put the pot in the fridge. It was great to heat up for lunches, and surprisingly very filing.

Clean roasted butternut squash soup

This Week: Dinner Menu

Since last week's dinner menu plan worked so well, I decided to keep going with it. It saved a lot of time each night because I already knew what I was cooking, and sometimes I even got some things ready the night before. It also helped me with my grocery shopping, because we all know you can end up walking around endlessly and just buying things on sale. Then you get home and realize you don't have the right ingredients to actually make meals. I also set a $100 budget for my weekly grocery shopping, because I realized that I wasn't paying attention to cost at all and just buying what I thought we needed. I came in at $100.18 this week, not bad!
Here is this week's menu (all meals are clean unless otherwise stated):

Monday
Turkey burgers-amazing! I tried to make some on the bbq once but they were very dry. These ones turned out very moist and flavourful.
Salad
Recipe
Instead of poultry seasoning I used cajun seasoning


Tuesday
Leftovers

Wednesday
Chinese chicken and vegetables
Brown rice
It was yummy! The marinade for the chicken was so full of flavour, I will definitely be using it a lot in the future.

Thursday
Treat night!
Greek salad
Gyros (not clean) on a whole wheat pita
It was take out but still fairly healthy

Friday
Lean  Cajun pork chops-this one was my own creation. Cut the fat off the chops. Marinated in EVOO, and cajun seasoning.
Sweet potato-I bake these in the microwave! 2 potatoes for about 8-10 mins and they're perfect. Just stab them with a fork or knife all the way around before you put them in.
Salad

Saturday
We had a late lunch today so I made hummus as a snack/dinner and we ate it with whole wheat tostitos (not clean).
It was my first time making hummus but it was SO easy and tasty. I added in some roasted red peppers as well.
1 can of chick peas drained and rinsed
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup of tahini
1-2 cloves of garlic
sea salt and pepper to taste
Throw all the ingredients in a food processor and add water to get the consistency you like.

Sunday
Slow cooker corn chowder
Recipe
The corn chowder I'm used to has only bacon and corn in it. This chowder was a little busy for me. i could have done without the leek, I didn't like the texture of it in the soup. I think it needed the bacon to add the smokey flavour that I like in a chowder.
Mike said he really liked it though!

Slow cooker corn chowder