Recipe Wednesday - How about Dessert?

Recipe Wednesday means I bring you a great recipe to consider for your collection.  My intention is to bring you delicious recipes featuring better food choices.  Let's face it, if it doesn't taste good, you won't eat it no matter how good it is for you.  Today's feature is Slow-Cooker Coconut Brown Rice Pudding from Food Network, because who doesn't like a good desert?

Slow-Cooker Coconut Brown Rice Pudding, lighter desert recipes photo retrieved from the Food network.

Total Time:

7 hr 0 min

Prep

15 min

Inactive

45 min

Cook

6 hr 0 min

Yield:

12 servings

Level:

Easy

Rice's natural starch (helped along with a bit of coconut milk) turns into creamy, surprisingly light rice pudding with sweet floral flavor from coconut water. Set out a toppings bar of dried fruits, toasted nuts, shredded coconut and seeds and let everyone personalize their own bowl.

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 3 cups coconut water
• One 13.5-ounce can lite coconut milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups short grain brown rice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
• Suggested toppings: diced fresh or dried mango and pineapple, fresh or frozen and thawed raspberries, toasted shaved coconut chips, chopped crystallized ginger

Directions

Mist a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the coconut water, coconut milk, 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, vanilla and salt in the bowl of the slow cooker until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the rice and cook on high 4 hours or low for 5 to 6 hours.

Uncover, stir well and let stand 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the butter. Continue to cool, stirring, until warm. Stir in the lime zest. Serve warm or chill until cold. Top as desired.

Notes

Cook's Note: To cool your rice pudding faster, spread the pudding on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the refrigerator until cool, about 10 minutes.

Calories: 150; Total Fat 4 grams; Saturated Fat: 2 grams; Protein: 2 grams; Total carbohydrates: 27 grams; Sugar: 10 grams Fiber: 1.5 grams; Cholesterol: 5 milligrams; Sodium: 146 milligrams

Please see the original recipe Copyright 2012 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

Resources:

Find the original post and more delicious desert recipes like it at the Food Network.

Motivation Monday - Confessions of a Quitter

It's Motivation Monday and today I wanted to do something a little different.  Rather than share a motivational book, DVD or Audio CD with you, I wanted to share the following story with you: my story.  I ran into a teambeachbody member looking for someone to give them encouragement to not quit.  Boy, if you haven't been there, you haven't been working on a better you for very long.  I think we've all been there. I know I sure have.  It prompted me to make the following blog post, I hope it speaks to you.  Perhaps it will inspire you, I hope it motivates you to keep trying. - the kashubian

I confess, I'm a quitter.  So much stigma attached to that word, I hate it, but it's true.  I can call a spade a spade, look at myself for what I am.  I'll own it.
I was an all-conference athelete back in high school for fast pitch softball.  I got invited to some coveted all-star traveling tournament teams on the mid-west fast pitch circuit.  Coaches from other teams asked my dad if we could move into their district, just for the season.  I got to play tournaments infront of college scouts.  I was a catcher that even the umpires said they'd miss during my senior season.  The local bar leagues tried to recruit me for their team.  By my senior season I had logged 18 seasons of play, WIAA school season and summer seasons combined, all of them from behind the plate.  I had the knees to prove it and by graduation I had already had knee surgery.  I played through tech school and broke my sternum diving for a pop up...still finished the game and worked the weekend before going to the doctor even though it sounded like a broom stick breaking.  I wasn't a quitter back then, but my season was done, the doctor wouldn't let me play, another bad hit could puncture my lung or liver...now I was a quitter.  I moved for my first job, got recruited to a bar league, had a work place injury that required knee surgery...I had to quit again.  I was becoming good at quitting.
Then life got in the way.  Work, family...everything...just, life.  Oh, and 3 more knee surgeries...then carpal tunnel surgery...and then, and then, and then...
Before I understood much about Team Beachbody and anything about coaches, I floundered through 10-minute trainer.  Then I quit because life got in the way, again.  Like I said, I was getting good at quitting.
I saw the INSANITY commercial and it spoke to my old inner athlete.  I said "hell yeah, I can do that.  Just try to make me quit."  I did 3/4 of it.  Then we had to travel for my work, I even still kept up with it...then we had to travel to get our son who was home from his first deployment.  The uncertain travel schedule made it easy to quit.  I did, I quit yet again.  Like I said, I was good at quitting.
Then work got painfully slow, I went back to school and my butt got bigger...and bigger.  Cabin fever set in.  I saw the INSANITY commercial.  This was months after my husband nearly bled to death from a diverticulum (I have other posts on that nightmare), my mom had survived colon cancer (so far) and my dad had been forced into retirement by 2 back surgeries.  I was now the officially unofficial caretaker of the family, but I was really sucking at taking care of myself.  Stupid quitter.  Not this time, I defined my why and beat myself up with it every time I wanted to quit.
This was when I had the epiphany, I met my coach.
Who knew having someone I had never met in person believe in me could make that big of a difference?  The power of motivation and accountability.  I owe so much to her, things I never thought I'd gain by losing some inches, things like my self-esteem, self-confidence.  I used to be such a poser, my co-workers thinking I was so strong and together, so self-assured...I was faking it all because I was nothing but a quitter where it mattered most.  Thanks to my coach I learned how speaking to others to bouy them when they were discouraged spoke just as loudly to myself as it did them.  Now I got what that whole coach thingy was about.  Wow, did I wish I'd met her sooner!  Her and her whole team!  She offered the coaching opportunity to me, I took a look at it.
Then I finished INSANITY.  Second time through I actually finished it.  I had good results.  That day I felt like I could do anything, I was made of awesome.
That day I wanted everyone to taste what it felt like, even just once.
That is why I coach.  I'm not to my goal yet, I struggle like everyone else.  I've been a quitter.  I've been knocked down, so I'm real good at getting back up.
That's why when I saw a new message on the message boards today about somebody who asked for help because they were discouraged, I just had to reach out.  It's not about the money, it's not about getting the people.  It's about having somebody press PLAY one more day, having them finally finish it so they can feel good about themselves.  That's what it's about.
Les Mills Combat: Power HIIT 1 today.  Yep, I pressed PLAY, I really hope you did too.

Motivation Monday - What if YOU were Coached by the Legends?

Motivation Monday is the day of the week when I share a motivational book title of my "have read" or "wish to read" lists.  Today's share is a little different, as we gear up to Superbowl XLVII, everyone's an NFL fan (at least for Superbowl Sunday).  Why not give a nod to some of footballs greatest coaches?  This week's feature is the Victor 1 Get Coached DVD set.  Learn strategies from football's greatest coaches that you can implement in your own lives to achieve success.

Superbowl XLVII gets us all in the mood to excel, learn how from the greats of the game.  
   photo retrieved from ZeiBiz

If you're anything like me you get pumped when you watch all those great highlight reels from the past NFL season that run when we get this close to Superbowl Sunday.  Take that energy to a new level with this incredible series from Victor 1 that features strategies for realizing your goals in your own lives from these football coaching legends.  I wish I'd found these sooner!

Victor 1 GET COACHED: Super Bowl champions Mike Ditka, Rex Ryan, Sean Payton, Mike Singletary, and legendary college coach Bobby Bowden, translate the secrets of their success on the field into an arsenal of insight and strategies for success in the real world. Business professionals, athletes, students, parents, anyone looking for the ultimate competitive edge and a winning mindset to tackle everyday challenges, will find the 20-plus, on-demand bursts of wisdom and inspiration on each coach s DVD invaluable when facing everyday challenges. If life is a game you want to win, GET COACHED by proven winners and some of the greatest motivators of our time.



GET COACHED BY MIKE DITKA..."Success is no accident"

Victor 1 GET COACHED by MIKE DITKA features one of two men ever to win Super Bowls as player, assistant coach and head coach. A fierce competitor, TV sports commentator and businessman, "Iron Mike" demands TOTAL COMMITMENT from himself, from those around him, and from you on his new motivational DVD. Delivered in rapid-fire, tell it like it is Ditka style, 25 topics like Define Success , Own Your Actions, Adapting to Change, Yours for the Taking and Fight Another Day give you instant access to a lifetime of experience and solid strategies for success.

GET COACHED BY BOBBY BOWDEN..."To win consistently, you have to put yourself in a position to lose.  I know it sounds contradictory, but to get ahead you've got to take a chance.  When it's on the line, you've just got to go for it...no one's going to just hand it to you." 

Victor 1 GET COACHED BY BOBBY BOWDEN features one of the winningest coaches in college football history. Legendary Florida State football Bobby Bowden has lead his teams to championship victories over seven different decades. The man knows how to motivate players, teams and you. As a faith-based inspirational speaker, Coach Bowden has addressed hundreds of thousands of people seeking an even higher greatness, and now, with 23 topical chapters including Stewardship, Integrity Proving Ground Play to Win and Invite God In , he brings his best inspiration, advice to you. Old, young, all can learn to achieve great things through Bowden's experiences with GOD, FAMILY AND FOOTBALL on this Victor 1 GET COACHED DVD.


GET COACHED BY MIKE SINGLETARY...On being true to yourself and being authentic.   "A leader is someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to help another person solve whatever problem they may be having...be humble..."

In this Victor 1 GET COACHED DVD, two time defensive player of the year, Super Bowl champion, Hall of Fame inductee and current 49ers head coach Mike Singletary shows that drive, focus, loyalty and faith are unmatched assets in sports...and in life. This great player, coach, motivator, ordained minister, and true believer now shares his vision of faith in 21 intense, on-demand chapters including Lead Where You Are, Inner Greatness, Overcoming Adversity, Constructive Criticism, Innovation and Forgiveness. 

GET COACHED BY SEAN PAYTON..."now it's your time, let me share with you actionable strategies that will enable you to achieve your ultimate goals."..."no short cuts...sacrifice is a part of the process."

In this new Victor 1 GET COACHED DVD, Sean Payton shows the importance of Aiming High, and reveals what it takes to win at anything and everything you set out to do in life. As head coach of the 2010 Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints, Payton knows how to face up to great adversity and great challenges, and win. Now, in 21 individual, concise chapters on his DVD, including No Shortcuts, Plan Your Success, Risk/Reward, Honesty , Delivering Results and Define Your Reputation, delivered in straight-forward Sean Payton style, he helps you set, define and achieve the goals in your own life.

GET COACHED BY REX RYAN...On pressure.  "When your back is against the wall...how will you handle it?  I see every challenge as an opportunity...." "never fold under the pressure, rise to the occasion..."

In this new Victor 1 GET COACHED DVD, Rex Ryan shares his hard won insights and actionable strategies for putting your life on the winning track. As head coach of the resurgent New York Jets and son of coaching legend Buddy Ryan, Coach Ryan knows what it takes to get the top job. You've got to want it, plan it and Give It All You Got. Teamwork, Earning Loyalty, Handling Disappointment, and No Excuses are among the 20 concise, direct, no-nonsense Rex Ryan approaches to getting what you want out of life.

Get the whole set or just your favorite coaching legend to inspire and motivate yourself to achieve your greatness!

Weekend Challenge - Why?

Finally Friday - Yay! We made it to Friday! Every week we post a WEEKEND CHALLENGE! This week’s challenge is to Define Your Why.

The key to making your New Year's Resolution a Reality is defining your  WHY.

The number one New Year's Resolution is to lose weight and the sad fact is that most have already hit that first bump in the road and thrown in the towel.  Defining your health and fitness WHY is a key component in your success.  Why do we fail?  Why do we wish to succeed?  In answering these Why's lies your aha moment.  This is an easy challenge, if you are honest with yourself.  Sometimes self-discovery with blatant honesty is the most difficult challenge of them all.

Brainstorm for your Why

This weekend I challenge you to sit down with a piece of paper and do a little brainstorming.  Remember that while you brainstorm you do not critique, that's the kill switch on your creativity.  You'll critique later.  Divide the paper into two sides: WHY and WHY NOT.  Set an egg timer for 3 minutes.  Write down all the reasons that pop into your head for why you want to become more fit and healthy, why you want to lose weight.   List every reason from the noble to the selfish; wanting to live longer for your kids to wanting to look good naked, health reasons or skinny jeans.  Every thing that  comes to mind, no matter how shallow.  Do the same thing for your why not, giving that egg timer another 3 minutes.  Be brutally honest.  It's hard, I'd rather play Xbox 360 than workout, I love fast food...what ever they may be.  Maybe you're lazy, maybe you just don't know where to start.

Now We Critique

Look over your list thinking about how important each of the things you wrote down is to you, rank them from 1 to 10, from not important to critical.  Do this for both sides, then rewrite your paper.  You already know your why, this just helps you visualize it.  I'd put money down that your WHY list is way better than your WHY NOT list.  After you rewrite your list so it looks neat, look it over again.  Define your biggest WHY.  Why is it important to you that you lose weight, get fit, get healthy?  Welcome to your AHA MOMENT!  List your goal in terms of this why.  For example: "I will lose weight because diabetes, stroke and colon cancer run in my family."  Or "I want to lose weight to rebuild my self esteem."  "I need to lose 25 pounds so I look great for my wedding."  "Losing 50 pounds will allow me to play with my children."  "I'm tired of being a puss gut that embarasses my wife and gets winded tying my own shoes, dropping 30 pounds will make me the man she married."  Be honest, make it personal, be specific.  The more specific you are the better!   Stick this reason why where ever you will see it: on your mirror, on the refrigerator, on the microwave.  Make it highly visible.  Make it a promise and it's even better.

Your AHA moment is a powerful tool in defining and achieving your goals.

My Why

My why became brutally clear when my husband was hospitalized with a "horrendously bleeding diverticulum", the surgeon's words, not mine.  He lost over 1/3 of his blood in less than an hour and earned a stay in ICU.   He was pre-diabetic and had to test his blood sugar daily.  He had high cholesterol.  Real high. My mother lost 13 inches of her colon to colon cancer.  My father had 2 back surgeries.  I was diagnosed with PCOS (Ploycystic Ovary Syndrome).  It got me thinking about other health issues that run in the family: high blood pressure, diabetes, ovarian cancer, bad knees, bad backs...then I thought about all the photos I didn't allow to be taken of me with the kids, or my grandson, the places I didn't go because I hated how I looked, how low my self esteem was.  In comparison the fact that I was lazy and losing weight would be hard paled.  In short, my reasons why not were pooh.  We needed to get serious about eating better or my husband was fast tracked to a heart attack, we decided the reasons not to just didn't measure up.  It was our aha moment, we were racing toward the brick wall.  It was time to test the breaks.

Knowing your WHY is Empowering

By having a definable reason why we want to make this change, it will make it much more likely that you will follow through.   When you stumble, and you will stumble, this WHY is the reason you get back on the horse that threw you.   Knowing exactly why you wish to achieve this goal defines why it is so important that you stick with it when the going gets tough, and it will get tough from time to time.  Knowing where you want to get and why you need to get there will also help you to reverse engineer the process you will have to go through to achieve it.  Knowing your why is empowering.  You have taken the first step toward making that New Year's Resolution your new reality.  

Enjoy the Journey

It's about the process, not perfection.  Enjoy the ride.  It won't be easy, but I promise you that it will be worth it...for you and those who love you.  Put in a little time here and when you define your goal in a context of why, you'll propel yourself toward reaching that goal.  Reverse engineering your way from where you want to be to where you are gives you small, sustainable changes that you can maintain for the long haul.  It's a lifestyle change, not a diet.

Resources:

• Tony Horton, of P90X fame, shares his thoughts about how to stay motivated and how to define where your desire comes from in How Do I Keep Going?  He shared more of his 2 step strategy in this article with Dr. Oz, Tony Horton's 3-step Diet Plan. 
• Join me on facebook at the fitter Fitter for motivation, accountability and to connect.  Having a support system will greatly increase your chances of success.
• Explore tons of tools and home fitness programs that can help you work toward your health and fitness goals with a free membership at teambeachbody.  Pick a program, find nutritionals, connect for motivation and support.

Recipe Wednesday - Quinoa? Say What?

Recipe Wednesday means I bring you a great recipe to consider for your collection.  My intention is to bring you delicious recipes featuring better food choices.  Let's face it, if it doesn't taste good, you won't eat it no matter how good it is for you.  Today's feature is Quinoa and today is a 2-fer.  Quinoa 2 ways!

Quinoa photo retrieved from Natural Health Techniques

What Is It?

Often referred to as a “wonder food,” quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a versatile and healthy addition to your table. It’s most often treated like a grain (in fact, it’s a seed and is gluten free), but, unlike grains or rice, it’s a complete protein, making it a smart choice for any meal.   Quinoa has a really satisfying texture (satisfyingly chewy, crunchy and fluffy all at the same time, like al dente pasta). Its great earthy flavor is slightly nutty and a touch bitter and easily takes on the flavors of herbs, spices, stocks or sauces that you might pair it with.  Quinoa’s protein content is very high, with a rarely found complete spectrum of essential amino acids making it great for vegan and vegetarian diets. It’s rich in dietary fiber and is very filling though not in the heavy, bloated way, more in a “I just ate something fairly complex that my body will enjoy for a while before I feel hungry again” kind of way.  Learning how to cook with quinoa is a great way to start making small, sustainable, smarter choices in your diet.  Substitue this protein packed seed for carbohydrates in your dishes, for example, replacing rice with quinoa.

Quinoa image retrieved from Wellwire.com

The Basics

Cooked by itself, quinoa is just like rice, if rice had a toasty, nutty flavor and was even easier to make. Add in your favorite spices and seasonings for a super simple side.  Use it cold or hot in a main dish or side.  Quinoa is a perfect cold salad ingredient, pair it with last night's leftovers or starting a salad from scratch.  Looking to use it as a main dish?   Quinoa can turn that simple side dish into the main event.  This gluten free food is quick and easy to prepare.

How To Cook It

You don’t need to be a mathematician for these formulas: 1 cup dry quinoa yields 3 cups cooked. I follow a simple 2:1 ratio for cooking (2 parts liquid to 1 part quinoa).  Bring quinoa and liquids to a boil together, reduce to simmer and cover for 15 minutes or until liquids are absorbed. Remove from stove and let sit for 5 minute with the lid on before fluffing with a fork and it’s ready to go! Try a chilled quinoa salad with chopped pecans, orange zest, green onions and light vinaigrette as a healthy alternative to traditional pasta salad. Tip: I suggest using liquids other than water to cook quinoa in to enhance the flavor. Chicken or veggie broth are great or try a bit of coconut milk and red curry seasoning blend for Thai inspired side dish, or even pineapple juice and dash of soy.

Now that you know what quinoa is, why it's good for you and how to cook it, let's get down to those recipes!

Lemony Quinoa photo retrieved from Allrecipes.com

Lemony Quinoa - "Quinoa is a high-protein, good for you grain, it can be substituted for couscous and makes a lovely side dish. This recipe is a crunchy, lemony, healthy dish that can be used as a side or as a light meal." — MBLASSNIG 

Ingredients - serves 6

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

salt to taste

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1/4 red onion, chopped

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Toast the pine nuts briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat. This will take about 5 minutes, and stir constantly as they will burn easily. Set aside to cool.
2. In a saucepan, combine the quinoa, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly, then fluff with a fork.
3. Transfer the quinoa to a serving bowl and stir in the pine nuts, lemon juice, celery, onion, cayenne pepper, cumin and parsley. Adjust salt and pepper if needed before serving

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad image retrieved from Allrecipes.com

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad - "An easy to make light salad that can be served with or without chicken for vegetarians." — Coulter 

Ingredients - makes 4 cups

2 cups water

2 cubes chicken bouillon

1 clove garlic, smashed

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 large cooked chicken breasts - cut into bite size pieces

1 large red onion, diced

1 large green bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Bring the water, bouillon cubes, and garlic to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the garlic clove and scrape the quinoa into a large bowl.
2. Gently stir the chicken, onion, bell pepper, olives, feta cheese, parsley, chives, and salt into the quinoa. Drizzle with the lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Stir until evenly mixed. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.

So go ahead, be brave, dip your toes in the water of change with this easy substitution in your pantry.  I've substituted quinoa for brown rice in our favorite Cilantro Lime Shrimp recipe, that recipe alone has solidified quiona's place as a pantry staple.  Remember, small, sustainable changes are your stepping stone to those healthy changes that will make that New Year's Resolution your reality.

References:

Allrecipes.com 

Wellwire.com

Naturalhealthtechniques.com