Fish Tacos

6 May 2012 at 11:24 am (Nutrition)
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The easiest things to make and fast too…

First the fish – a firm white fish is best. I prefer Alaskan halibut, but cod or tilapia also work. (Note: you could also use shrimp if they are your thing.) Rinse it and coat it with a mixture of chili powder and paprika…season to whatever spicy level you enjoy. Then grill it or cook in a non-stick pan until done. If grilling, it is probably best to brush the grill with some olive oil to prevent sticking. Once cooked through, break up into pieces.

Toppings – chop up some cabbage. Use some shredded carrots. I love fresh cilantro. Maybe some black beans and/or corn. Try some julienned jicima!

Tasty sour cream – mix sour cream (fat-free works fabulously for this if you’re watching that sort of thing), a bunch of fresh cilantro chopped up and the big stems removed, fresh lime juice to taste, salt to taste, fresh minced garlic (yeah, you got it…to taste)…just stir it all together in a bowl. This is best made ahead of time so that it can sit in the fridge to let the flavors meld. However, it is tasty immediately after making, too. (This sour cream mix is also an excellent dip or topping for nachos, veggies, to put on chicken, etc.)

The taco container – I prefer small flour tortillas. It takes some serious hunting to find some that are basic ingredients without a bunch of fillers or tons of fat in them, they can be found. I forget the brand name, but our local Costco carries good ones. You just have to read the labels. Or, if you are really adventurous, you could make your own…I have not been that adventurous…yet. You could also use any other sort of wrap or soft tortillas. Or, if you prefer, crunchy tacos or a taco salad serving style work too…your imagination is the limit.

So there you have it. The fish, when I cook it in a pan, takes all of 10 minutes to cook (depending on thickness…you can even break it up as it cooks to cook faster). Other than that, however long it takes to chop up some toppings and dinner is served. Next time I plan to play with the flavors a bit and try marinating the fish in a honey lime juice mix before cooking.

The great thing about tacos is that anything goes…play with the flavors and fillings and make them your own! Just watch out – if you are being calorie or fat conscious, it is easy to go from extremely healthy and/or low-fat to over the top with calories and fat depending on type of meat and whether you use cheese, oil to cook the fillings, etc.

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Work Out!

24 March 2011 at 11:50 am (Nutrition, The Journey)
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As requested (and promised) – the work-out post!

It wasn’t much of a work-out, but I did do core stuff. That is huge for me because I hate core work. Blech.

I did five girly-push-ups from my knees (the last one might not actually count…it was a struggle), 25 crunches on each side and straight up the middle, a bunch of leg-lifts and other arm exercises (I think about 20 of each covering all the various muscle groups) with no added weight. I also walked across the room and back on my heels and then again up on my toes (x 2 reps).

It doesn’t seem like much, but I hurt from it all. This morning, aside from way too much coffee, I had three eggs (scrambled) with half a red bell pepper and a spoonful of salsa on top. I also took my fish oil and vitamin D packet. Go me!

This weekend I plan to finally get over to the local Y to check it out and (maybe) join. I also need to get over to the Whitewater center and activate the pass my dad got for me. The weather is finally warm enough to start thinking about getting in the water!

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Nutrition: Costco

9 January 2011 at 1:09 pm (Nutrition)
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It was time to restock the pantry. And freezer. And spice cabinet.

For folks who don’t know me well, I am somewhat OCD about a lot of things. On about a quarterly cycle I clean out all my cabinets, the fridge, the pantry, and the closet where I store paper goods and excess beverages. Out with the old, in with the new. That may sound somewhat wasteful, but surprisingly, I don’t end up having to throw away much. Most of what does expire and get tossed are oddball items that Neil has brought into the house (like the bag of dried aprctots…I do not like apricots and I think he only ate them the one time with whatever else he had brought over). On about that same schedule it seems I have run out of almost everything.

Yesterday I made the trek to Costco. I love Costco. I grew up in the land of Costco (the Costco Kirkland brand is named after the city where they are headquartered…I lived right down the road for many years.) When I do go to Costco on a restocking trip it is no joke. By the time I am done, I can barely push the cart because it is so heavy. Meats, frozen goods, canned goods, and dried goods. Because the Costco here is too far from my house to make a regular thing, I typically don’t buy fresh veggies or fruits there, but back in Seattle, it also served as my grocer.

Yesterday’s trip got me, flank steak, chicken tenderloins, salmon burgers, chicken sausage, frozen shrimp, frozen broccoli, frozen stir-fry veggie mix, frozen green beans, canned mushrooms and tomatoes, pasta and pasta sauces, pesto sauce, cereal, coffee beans (organic, none the less, and very, very tasty), a jar of bean salad, a jar of grilled asparagus, a jar of capers, a jar of sun-dried tomatoes, an 8 pack of Amy’s organic soups, an 8 pack of Progreso light soups, crackers, cheddar cheese, feta cheese, bagels, tortillas, butter, maple syrup, oregano, Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, Clif bars, and dishwasher detergent. (I’m sure I am missing something, but you get the idea.)

Because of my work schedule and all the traveling I do, most everything I buy is frozen or can be frozen, or is canned or dry. It sometimes makes for a little extra work waiting for things to thaw, but I’ve mostly gotten used to it. Now, to follow-through with my new year’s resolution to cook more at home!

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2011 Nutrition & Weight-loss Goals

2 January 2011 at 3:49 pm (Nutrition)
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I know I put down my “resolutions” yesterday…but in order to achieve success in any of them, I need some specific goals.

NUTRITION:

Nutrition really is the foundation for all of my other goals and is probably the easiest thing to get specific about (at least in some areas). It will provide me the energy needed for my exercise. It will make or break my weight-loss goals. It will help boost my immune system and keep me healthy. So, without more babbling, here are my nutrition goals:

  • Vitamins/Supplements – I am vitamin B deficient. When I take my vitamins, I feel a billion times better. I need to get better about keeping them in stock around here and taking them regularly. I also (when I think about it) take fish oil with vitamin D. And recently, because of the stress fracture, I have started taking calcium. This week I will restock and start taking my supplements regularly (calcium and fish oil daily, B vitamins every other day).
  • Fast Food – my goal for 2011 is no fast food. I am talking McDonald’s, Burger King, Chic-fil-a, Wendy’s, etc. Subway and other sandwich shops are probably pushing it, but I can get a decent sandwich if needed when I am traveling for work. Pizza should fall in this list too, but I can’t give up pizza. I just know it won’t happen. This is actually a pretty doable goal since I rarely eat fast food anyway, but this year I am doing away with it completely. Also, soft-drinks. After the Coke in the fridge gone, I am not allowing any more in the house. I can easily drink several cans/bottles at a time. Not good. I need to stick to water, juice, and milk. For my bubbly fix I am going to get back to drinking citrus flavored mineral water. Note: this does not mean I will not be eating out. With work travel that is an impossibility.
  • Food – I want to get back to shopping at the local farmer’s market here in town and the larger one that opened last year in the city. I can get literally everything I could ever want to eat – meats of all varieties, fish, veggies, eggs, cheese, breads, pasta, pickles, even coffee. Everything is local and sustainably raised. And it is fresh. I am also determined to get beds built this year and a garden of my own started (though, no guarantees that it will happen in time for spring food as it hinges entirely on my budget). Goal part one – the beds. We’ll decide on food-stuffs once they are built and filled with soil.

WEIGHT-LOSS:

Thankfully, if I stick to my food and exercise goals, this should be a no-brainer. I need to lose about 40 pounds. Right now I am sitting right at 207 pounds. Losing 40 pounds is an average of 1.3 pounds per week all year-long. Ideally I’d like to get somewhere around 165, but ultimately, once the major weight comes off, the running, exercise, and diet are going to determine the final weight.

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Ummmm, diet?

1 December 2010 at 6:57 pm (Nutrition)
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Well, so much for day one of the diet.

The day started with no breakfast. I had a cup of coffee, my daily fish oil/vitamin D supps, and an EmergenC packet. Lunch? Another cup of coffee and a Clif Bar. I tried to be good-ish for dinner. Grilled chicken with pasta and a tomato olive oil sauce. It was grotesquely garlicky (and that’s saying a lit because I love garlic). So I didn’t eat much of that. I also had part of a salad that wasn’t very good.

The up-side of today: I drank a LOT of water.

Tomorrow I shall try again.

P.S. Another lesson learned… Don’t wear high heels when leg muscles are recovering from running.

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Stats & Nutrition

14 November 2010 at 10:19 am (Nutrition, Stats)

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Weight: 211

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While I am very disappointed in myself, I am not at all surprised by the number. When you sit like a lump most of a week and eat crap for food (like Burger King!) you gain weight.

I ate fast food for the first time in I don’t know how long. I was trying to remember when I last had it earlier today and I can’t. It should have stayed that way. Instead, I had a Whopper with cheese and a thing of fries. I won’t say I didn’t enjoy it immensely. I have also eaten an entire package of Pecan Sandies this week, chips and dip, cheese, cream sauces, and I could keep going.

My goal beginning tomorrow (because I have potato chips and dip that will be served tonight to company and I know I won’t avoid them) is to make a very concerted effort to watch what I eat (and I don’t mean just watching the fork move from my plate to my mouth). I’ll also be changing up the work-out routine, but I’ll talk about that in a separate post.

So, I am still fat. But I can honestly say I am getting fitter.

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Stats: Official weigh-in for the week…

7 November 2010 at 3:16 pm (Nutrition, Stats)

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Weight: 209

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WOOHOO! Finally. A number smaller than 210. I’ve cheated this week (as proven by a previous entry) and have gotten on the scale almost daily - either Friday or yesterday I was down to 207, which even with all my bouncing around, I’ve never been down to. So, my assumption is that this isn’t a fluke and I am really starting to lose some poundage.

This makes for good motivation to keep on keepin’ on, as it were. Aside from a couple slips this week (one with no thanks to Neil – he brought home tres leches from a fabulous Cuban restaurant in town), I’ve been doing really well with my food. Tonight will be homemade steak soft tacos (leftover steak cut into strips, avocado, and fat-free sour cream mixed with chopped cilantro, garlic, and lime juice). Tomorrow will probably be something similar with the leftover condiments only with fish (mmmmm, spicy cod!).

Unfortunately, no running will happen today – I tripped earlier today and twisted my right knee. It isn’t too bad and I think with rest and ice today, tomorrow I’ll good to go. The good news is that Moo was relatively well-behaved during her group hike today. Just one incident right off the bat with another dog there and then some crazed barking at a horse that came up the path (there is an equestrian center that uses the trails we were hiking on – we won’t talk about her fascination with eating horse poop on the trails). She has never seen a horse before and was beside herself (as were a couple of the other dogs). It was after her meet-up during our quick stop at the grocery that I tripped in the parking lot - at least this time I didn’t break my wrist.

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“Runnin’, runnin’, runnin’….

15 October 2010 at 4:24 pm (Nutrition, The Journey)
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keep those doggies runnin’….rawhide!”

OK, so that isn’t quite how the lyrics go, but that’s what has been running through my head lately. (Get it? Running through my…oh nevermind. I’m such a dork sometimes.)

  • Monday was tough…I came back from a week without running and eating garbage for food and my legs told me all about it. Even with their talking, though, I finished the workout. 
  • Wednesday was awesome! Seriously, I think I could have taken on the 1/2 marathon on Wednesday, it was that good. It was my best pace yet.
  • Today was also awesome! Though the legs were a little more whiny about being pushed again. Aside from that, I felt great. And I maintained the great pace that I set on Wednesday. My breathing is getting noticeably better, too.

I’ve eaten better this week…not that it is a surprise to anyone, but isn’t it amazing how all that works together? Better nutrition equals better running. In fact, having a set schedule again has also kept me taking my vitamins regularly (which I need…I am very vitamin B anemic). As a result, I am feeling a billion times better overall. In addition to B6, I take salmon oil capsules, one of which also has some vitamin D in it. I drink milk every day and I am drinking more water in a day than I think I ever have.(This is the part where I don’t mention the pizza and beer we had last night.)

The other amazing thing? My skin is looking better than ever. (Yeah, I’m still a girly-girl, even if I don’t show it often.) But really! Fewer break-outs; it isn’t as dry and flaky as it was; it doesn’t feel like it is going to crack wide open every time I smile.

Right now my only guilt with the running is that I am not quite ready to take it outside and thus Moo is not getting any benefit from it. Youshould hear the pitiful, bored sighs she makes while she is laying on the floor next to the treadmill while I run. And don’t get me started on the sad, sad puppy-dog eyes she gives me while she is making the sighs. (My dog spoiled? No!) I am looking forward to Thanksgiving when I will (hopefully) be ready to start taking things to the streets and she can come along with me. My hope is that it will help build our bond and improve the consistency of her listening to me (and actually doing what I’ve asked). Heh. A girl can dream, right?

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Negative Nutrition Notions

30 September 2010 at 12:38 pm (Nutrition)
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Sorry, I find myself alliterating a lot lately. Not sure what that is about. I even changed the title of this post to an alliteration…the original title (which makes more sense with the first sentence below) was “Nutrition should be a four-letter word…” Be warned: You’ll find more alliteration peppered periodically in this post.

At least it gets me saying several four-letter-type-words when I start looking at how poorly I do with my nutrition. Especially when I am traveling. My schedule is tight when I travel and often I don’t have many options available for lunch. Add to that, I usually miss breakfast at least one day a week due to running out the door to catch a flight or just get to where I am due. Dinner is the only meal I am consistent about eating, but I am usually so overly hungry that it ends up being unhealthy food and I eat way too much.

Let’s not even get started about cravings…this week have been a few odd ones. Monday night I just wanted “good” food. Tasty, yummy, good. We ended up at Copper, a modernized Indian restaurant that is fabulous.  We’d been there before, but I don’t remember it being this fabulous. Thankfully, most of the food is relatively good for you. I went with standard tikka masala, saag paneer, rice, naan, and cucumber/tomato salad.

Then we get to Tuesday night. I wanted a burger. A giant, juicy, too-many-toppings burger. We went to Five Guys. I am just going to say it now, the Five Guys burger was at the top of a “top ten” list I saw recently of the absolutely worst take-out foods for you. Heh. A heart-attack wrapped in foil. It was sooooo good. And the next day I completely regretted giving into my craving (emotionally, physically I was fine).

Last night I craved sushi. Thankfully, it wasn’t another burger night! Heh. I met Neil at Red Bowl which is near the house and I ate a bunch of sushi rolls of various varieties. Yes there are a lot of carbs with the rice, but at least the protein is fish, which is good. And they were all wrapped in seaweed which is also good.

Neil and I both love to cook, so why do we eat out almost all the time? Because the biggest struggle I have is keeping food in the house. Or rather, good, perishable food. With all my travel and being gone, I can’t tell you how many full tubs of lettuce and other veggies I’ve had to toss out in the backyard because they went bad before I could eat them. (I don’t officially compost, but I do throw bad veggies down the hill into the wild.) I do not have a good grocery store convenient to the house so I have to plan my trips and they do not happen every day. I keep dry goods (pasta, bread, rice, cereal, etc.) and anything that freezes well (meat, cheese, butter, breads, etc.) but fresh foods like veggies and fruits are tough. I may resort to frozen veggies as well since I need to find some way of having them around without wasting my wages, but I prefer fresh veggies so much. *sigh*

OK now I am just whining. I guess I’ve rambled on enough about this matter without really saying anything other than this is still something I desperately need to work on. This week was a shining example of that.

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Lunch!

18 August 2010 at 4:59 pm (Nutrition)
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I ate lunch today! Even amid a crazy, insane, hectic schedule. Better yet, it was left-overs – grilled, seasoned chicken tenderloins and fresh red peppers with a bit of fat-free sour cream.

I have a massive headache, but I think that is stress related (and eye related – I need new glasses) and not food related.

Tonight Moo has a group class. I am rehydrating now because it is a freakin’ sauna out there. 90 degrees and 70% humidity. At least it wasn’t the 100% humidity they had down in FL this morning. Yikes!

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