I wasn’t sure the direction Decadently Fit would take when I started last January. I wasn’t even sure it would last this long. What I can say is I love what it has become.
I love that my knowledge about food has increased with every post.
I love that there are 391 people in the DF community. That far exceeds any number I thought would join. That being said, hitting 400 in 2013 would be awesome!
I love that my food photography has dramatically improved. The obvious progression is exciting and embarrassing all at the same time. I have a long way to go in this department, but I am thrilled with my progress.
I love working with healthy food brands and hope to begin new partnerships while maintaining existing ones in 2014. Thank you to Bob’s Red Mill, Attune Foods, and Klondike for believing in a small blog.
These are a few goals I hope to express through each post in 2014:
To help my readers reach a new level of health through the foods they eat.
To express how wonderful food can be in healthy forms.
To teach my readers about foods they normally wouldn’t touch. To be adventurous with food.
To love whole, clean foods by seeing them in healthy, yet decadent forms.
I don’t want to go too much into the future vision I have. Know this, as the readership grows, this blog will grow. Keep sharing recipes with your friends. Keep interacting in the comments section and on the social media. I read each and every one of your comments and take every single one to heart.
Thank you for your support! I can’t wait to see what 2014 holds for Decadently Fit.
To tie up the year in a nice pretty best of list, here are theTop 13 Recipes of 2013.
Every year I plant a summer garden in my backyard. I use a 4 X 8 raised planter bed and fence out the animals (bunnies & squirrels) with chicken wire.
I spend a good amount of time planting each plant carefully. Making sure each has a symbiotic plant to fight off disease and pests. When everything is planted, I watch those babies like a hawk. I go out everyday and make sure they have enough water, sun, and aren’t being invaded by insects. In a nutshell, I love gardening.
Unfortunately, this year, I have not been able to plant one. We tore up our back yard last December. Now, very slowly it is being put back together. Slow, like dripping molasses.
I miss the tomatoes right off the vine. I miss the wafting smell of the basil as I approach the planter bed. Most of all, I miss being able to harvest the vegetables of my labor.
I really shouldn’t complain though, I have an ever better substitute for my garden. My neighbors L & L have the best home garden I have ever seen. No exaggeration. Rows of high tomato plants, zucchini, cucumber, apples, avocado, grapefruit, oranges, lemons and peaches.
L is very good at what he does. He had special soil, called sandy loam, trucked in just for his garden. Whether it be the soil or his green thumb, the quality and the quantity he produces far exceed what my little 4 X 8 bed could.
L & L zucchini & eggs
That being said, I have been able to survive the summer with the fruits of his labor. Once a week I receive a surprise delivery on my door step. Sometimes that even includes eggs. We are very spoiled by them.
Recently Mrs. L had surgery that limited her mobility. Mr. L was going to have to take care of the Mrs. and her live in mother on a daily basis. Upon hearing this, I immediately offered to make them dinners. It was least I could do for all they have done for us. Not only have they been generous with their crops, but also a myriad of other things. We are blessed to live next door to them.
It just so happened that the day before I was to begin working on their meals, L dropped off one of his infamous bags of produce. It had all the usual suspects, including a few gorgeous zucchinis.
There are so many ways to prepare zucchini, but one of my absolute favorites is a zucchini lasagna. A zucchini lasagna replaces the pasta sheets with zucchini. Lowering the carb count and increasing the nutrients.
In my recipe, I make two sauces, a marinara and bechamel. Marinara is a fancy name for tomato sauce. Bechamel is a fancy name for cheese sauce. I make my bechamel lower in fat and carbs by using chicken broth instead of milk, Melt, instead of butter. The two sauces intertwine in each bite, creating a tomato cream sauce.
The sauces are layered between the zucchini ‘noodles’. It is up to the chef whether to add ground turkey, pork, or sausage. The sauces are bold enough to stand with the zucchini alone, for a vegetarian version.
This lasagna can be baked and served immediately or it can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and foil, then frozen for up to 3 months. Either way, it’s worth the work. You won’t be disappointed I promise.
It’s a dish that feels indulgent, yet is much healthier than eating a traditional lasagna. According to L & L it was a great use of their zucchini, and helped Mrs. L get on the road to recovery.
Recipe
3 – 4 large zucchini, sliced on a mandoline ( <— click for the same one I use)
sea salt
16 oz. mozzarella low moisture, part skim or any cheese blend (I used a pizza blend)
1 lb. ground turkey, pork or turkey sausage, cooked and any fat drained
Marinara
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 28 oz can organic diced tomatoes
1/2 brown onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small carrot, diced
2 teaspoons dried basil
sea salt and pepper to taste
Place zucchini slices on a paper towel and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Let sit for an hour. Blot dry, turn over and repeat step on other side. This will pull excess moisture out of the zucchini, so your lasagna won’t be soupy.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the carrots and basil, saute for 2 – 3 minutes. Add in the onions and saute till translucent. Add in the garlic and saute for 1 minute, constantly stirring so it doesn’t burn. Stir in the tomatoes, and de-glaze the pan (scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan). Simmer for 20 minutes on low, stirring every 3 minutes or so to avoid burning the sauce. Using a stick blender, blend the sauce partially. I like mine to still have some chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. (Whatever you have left after making the lasagne can be frozen).
Bechamel (not traditional)
4 tablespoons Melt butter (smart balance or ghee)
4 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups low sodium organic chicken broth
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Melt the ‘butter’ over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, stirring constantly for 3 – 5 minutes or until the mixture smells like popcorn. Constantly whisking, slowly stir in the chicken broth. Continue to whisk till the mixture is fully incorporated. Lower the heat to low. Stir in cheese and pepper. Take off heat.
To Assemble Lasagna
1. Ladle a thin layer of marinara on the bottom of a 9X13 pan.
2. Layer zucchini noodles on top of the marinara, overlapping slightly.
3. Ladle 1/2 of the bechamel on top of the zucchini.
4. If you have a meat layer, add it on top of the bechamel.
5. Layer 1/3 of the cheese on top of the meat.
6. Ladle the remaining 1/2 of the marinara on top of the cheese.
7. Repeat steps 2 – 6 one more time.
8. The last layer should be the remaining cheese.
9. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.
I love summer time. I love spending more time with my children. I love the late nights swimming. I love going to BBQs. BBQs are a great excuse to hang out with friends, and for the kid’s to run rampant. It’s a chance for everyone to get adventurous making a new dish they saw on Pinterest.
Unfortunately, most of us (even me) use it as an excuse to over indulge. That would be fine if a BBQ happened maybe once a month. Let’s be honest, most us attend a BBQ of some sort during the summer once a week. Over indulging that much can lead to excess pounds no one wants during bathing suit season.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you can’t try your friend’s amazing dishes. I think you should, just watch your portion size and don’t go back for seconds. This nifty chart shows what the correct portion size for each person.
I recently brought this vibrant Broccoli Slaw Salad to a BBQ. Tons of nutritious veggies are incorporated into the salad, including sweet sun-dried tomatoes. Sun flower seeds and red onions give the dish a nice crunch, while the vinegar and pesto liven up your taste buds.
If your goal is to feed a ton of people, while going easy on the wallet, swap out the broccoli for shredded cabbage. If you don’t like sunflower seeds, use pumpkin seeds. Either way, the salad delivers a huge punch of flavor without compromising your waist line.
Recipe For Broccoli Slaw Salad
12 oz broccoli florets, raw, separated into bite size pieces
12 oz. broccoli slaw (refrigerated in produce section)
3 oz. sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (not in oil)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup red onion, diced
3/4 cup prepared pesto sauce
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons olive oil mayo
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Whisk together mayo, pesto, vinegar, salt and pepper into a small bowl.
Combine the rest of the ingredients with the pesto mixture and chill for 2 hours. Serve cold.
Below I have posted some of my blogger friend’s recipes that they brought to our virtual 4th of July BBQ. I recently met them at Camp Blogaway (a conference for bloggers). They are a group of amazing ladies with incredible talent and wonderful personalities. We joke that there must have been some roommate god that placed us together. The match was just too perfect. On the first night we laughed and chatted till we realized how loud we were being. Oops.
I’m hoping to see them in person in the near future, hopefully at a BBQ where they bring these dishes. Until then, here is our virtual version.
This is Jillian’s contribution, from Food Folks and Fun, to our space age BBQ. She is a sweet military mommy and wife who recently moved to San Diego County. She currently has a little girl and is expecting a little boy. Her blog is full of wonderful recipes, vibrant pictures to match, great printables and wonderful crafts. Pin worthy, great posts, that you should check out today!
Jillian’s interpretation of the French classic: smooth custard in a flaky tart shell with a crackling burnt-sugar topping. Serve with fresh, seasonal berries.
Here is Barbara’s contribution from Barbara Cooks. Another room-mate from Camp Blogaway, and one of the first people I met at camp. If her sparkling blue eyes don’t capture your attention, her beautiful smile will. A newlywed from San Diego County, Babara approaches food with a healthy spin. Her food is fun and inventive. Right up my alley! Check it out!
Barbara has taken the bold flavor of coffee and barbecued it! Served with a sweet and savory blueberry sauce, this will be a hit at your next backyard barbecue.
Angela writes the blog Aloha: Yinz Mangia. She is an Italian girl who uprooted her life in Pittsburgh, to live in Hawaii. That should completely demystify the name of her blog. Not only is her blog name fun, so is the author. She is currently planning a wedding to fiance Bryce, while working on the Battleship Missouri. She has an amazing sense of humor, and her love of food is apparent in every post. Warning: Reading her blog will make you very jealous of her amazing Hawaiian life. That being said, check out her blog as quickly as possible!
Angela adds unconventional ingredients like blue cheese and apples to a conventional potato salad. An explosion of flavor is bound to ignite your 4th of July BBQ with this dish!
I hope you bring our dishes to your next BBQ. Happy 4th of July!
A BIG thank you to all the service men and women, past and present that make our country what it is!
Eating breakfast is essential. It turns on your body’s fat burning oven and gives you the energy you need to start your day. Skipping this meal can lead to overeating throughout the day. When you skip a meal, your body signals your brain to play catch up. Bad choices are made when our bodies go into starvation mode. Your best plan of attack is to drink a full glass of water right when you wake up. This cleanses your body of impurities and hydrates. Plan on eating within the first hour of waking up to fully kick-start your metabolism. Eating within the first hour can sometimes be a challenge for me. Especially since we are on our 4th week of summer break here. I love simple breakfasts that don’t require tons of prep and clean up. Shakes fit this mold, and fill my tank. This peach protein shake is quick, satiates, and tastes like dessert. Serious bonus. On that note, you can end your day with this shake. Just add 1/2 a cup of your favorite frozen yogurt, and tada! You can pull the wool over your kid’s/husband’s eyes and make them think they are drinking a non-nutritious shake. Onto the fabulous reasons to drink this peachy goodness. The protein in the powder and almond milk will keep you full till your mid-morning snack and build muscle. Who can resist the taste of a fresh peach? I know I can’t. Knowing they are full of vitamin A, C, & B, contain iron and fluoride, and protect from free radicals, make them even more appealing. Cinnamon, well there are so many benefits to ingesting a daily 1/2 teaspoon dose of this spice, I needed a list:
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower your bad cholesterol (or LDL).
I have had a lot of my readers ask me what a GMO is. What they do and why they are bad. I hope this snippet can shed some light on the issue.
ge·net·i·cal·ly modified organism
n. Abbr. GMO
An organism whose genetic characteristics have been altered by the insertion of a modified gene or a gene from another organism using the techniques of genetic engineering.
(article snippet is from www.webmd.com)
*The term genetically modified food (also known as biotech or genetically engineered food) refers to crop plants that have been modified in the laboratory to enhance desired traits, such as resistance to herbicides or improved nutritional content. Experts say this science, like any other, has no guarantees.
Risks include:
Introducing allergens and toxins to food
Accidental contamination between genetically modified and non-genetically modified foods
Antibiotic resistance
Adversely changing the nutrient content of a crop
Creation of “super” weeds and other environmental risks
Benefits include:
Increased pest and disease resistance
Drought tolerance
Increased food supply*
None of the benefits listed affect our bodies. All of the risks can cause serious consequences to our bodies.
Whether you choose to buy GMOs or not, you should at least know what they are. Sometimes we don’t have a choice. Buying exclusively organic can be very expensive. That is why I personally do not. A majority of my purchases are, but I do have a budget to stick to.
Here is something to keep in mind, the more organic produce and products we buy, the more likely the price will come down. Then we can all afford to have a choice.
If you aren’t familiar with chia seeds other than the infamous pets, you probably clicked on this post out of sheer curiosity. I personally was a skeptic at first. I immediately added them to my mental list of foods that are a hippy gimmick. I even tried to convince myself that I wasn’t a hippy at heart. Then I went over my life passions in my head. Oh yeah, I am part hippy. I figured I at least owed it to my fellow hippys to try the seeds. If I didn’t like them, I could move on to something else weird.
Ok, seriously people, they don’t taste like anything. If you like tapioca, you will like them. If you don’t like tapioca, grind them up and drink them in a shake, use them like a flour, so on. There are tons of uses for the nutrient packed seeds. Here is a short list of benefits these poppy seed like beauties contain:
Full of omega-3’s (improves mental performance)
High in fiber
High in protein
High in calcium
High in antioxidants
Helps with weight loss (gives you a full feeling)
Redeuces inflamtion (great for those with arthiritis)
Absorbs extra acid (great for reflux sufferers)
Lowers cholesterol
Lowers the risk of heart disease
With all of these benefits and no taste, I will be adding these to whatever I can. The reccomended amount for an adult is 2 tablespoons a day. An easy amount to add to a morning smoothie, shake, eggs, yogurt, cereal, toast, or even sorbet for dessert. Honestly, I would reccomennd starting off with the recipe below as an introduction. It’s an easy recipe to make, and tastes amazing! The chia seeds act as the thickener. They absorb the liquid and grow 8 times in size. The gelatenous coating creates the pudding like texture. The hardest part in making this is waiting for it to thicken. It will start thickening immediately, but I noticed the greatest consistency 12 hours in.
You can buy these little beauties at your local health food store or by clicking here.
Recipe
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups almond mlik
2 tablespoons real maple extract (vanilla works too)
7 tablespoons chia seeds
Mix the ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Cover and chill 6 hours. Serve by itself or with fresh berries.
Marketing is everything. For someone just starting to join the Food Revolution and eat healthier, a food product with the word diet seems appealing. Trust me, I fell for it too, in my early weight loss days. For a long time ‘sugar-free’, ‘diet’ and ‘low-fat’ reeled me in. I bought products that contained these labels religiously. I thought I was doing myself and my family a favor. I couldn’t figure out why I wasn’t losing weight.
Then I learned that there are no free calories. There is an inherent costs to chemical substitutions. We think we are eating healthy by choosing low-fat, sugar free options, but in reality they are more harmful than their original counterparts. If one ingredient is taken out, another equally bad component is usually added in so the flavor isn’t jeopardized.
As consumers, especially consumers trying to purchase healthy consumables, we need to get in the habit of reading labels. My rule of thumb is to try to buy as few products with ingredients that I am not familiar with. I love the Dryer’s commercial with the child trying to pronounce ingredients off of another brands ice cream label. Such chemicals are not in our everyday language, because we don’t know what they are. Food companies don’t want us to know. If they were good for us, we would know. They would be advertising the benefits. I have never seen an ice cream commercial, organic or not, educating the population about healthy benefits. My thought is, if I am going to eat something that isn’t healthy I might as well not poison myself too. So, yes, I will eat the full fat version with the best ingredients, in moderation. Preferably home-made. (Home-made ice cream is the BEST!)
My point is, living a clean diet is all about knowledge. Look for people and brands that support a clean, healthy way of living and learn from them. Don’t get trapped by the buzz words that make you think you are living healthy. Double check labels that contain these words: low-fat, sugar-free, fat-free, reduces cholesterol, helps digestion, natural, reduced sodium, etc. Make sure they do what they claim before you sabotage your goals.
What are some of your favorite truly healthy brands?
Yes, this has been posted before. I am re-blogging this gem of a tip for an excellent reason. I am going to summer camp this weekend, and I am giving away matcha green tea with my business card.
Yes, you heard that correctly. Not, my kids, but me, I am going to summer camp. Specifically, a summer camp for food bloggers. Complete with cabins, and bunk beds. I am so excited! Not only because I could use this as a recharge, as the school year ended a couple of days ago. Also, I am walking into this camp as a sponge. As Johnny #5 so eloquently stated, “Need input!”.
I am hoping to make this site even better by attending. So wish me luck as I head into the woods and learn all about the art of blogging. Of course, I will be surrounded by other food bloggers, wine and great food. I’ll also come home with a great bag of swag, so I guess I really don’t need luck.
I hope you all have a safe, healthy Memorial Day weekend! Don’t forget to thank our service men and women, veterans or active military. They are the reason, we get to read blogs and live out our dreams. Thank you!
Excuses, complaining, and whining are my biggest pet peeves. Honestly, I would rather hear someone say “It’s just not that important to me”, then give me a list of excuses why they don’t/didn’t do something. It’s annoying. If you want something bad enough, you will do anything to make it happen.
Think back to a time when you really, really wanted something. Maybe a good grade on a test, purchasing your dream car, or going on an exotic vacation. I am sure you made a plan on how to get to your end result. If you wanted to get a good grade you studied and practiced the skill till you got it right. You worked extra hours at work and even gave things up for that fancy car or vacation. I’m sure you didn’t give up till you got what you wanted.
In the end, the three things I listed would have made you temporarily happy. Imagine working hard for a goal that would make your life better. Even better, the happiness achieved will last your entire life. When you decide to live a healthy lifestyle and make permanent changes, health and happiness are your reward. The more you put into it, the more you get back.
When I made the decision to get in the best shape of my life, I had to change my attitude. Excuses were thrown out the window. Complaints were non-existent. Drive, determination, and inspiration pushed me when it seemed impossible.
Here are some excuses that might sound familiar:
I’m too tired
Healthy foods are more expensive
I don’t have the time to make healthy foods
I don’t have time to work out
I don’t like fruits and vegetables
My kid(s) is picky
Now, let me give you a solution to each of these:
You are most likely too tired because of what you are fueling your body with. Cut the processed foods, and fast food and put something real in your body. Exercising will actually give you more energy.
Healthy foods can cost more than a fast food meal if you don’t plan. If you go into the store with a plan and use some of the same ingredients twice, you won’t spend as much as you normally do. Junk adds up too. Watch your store ads, and use coupons when you can. Call your city and ask if they have a program that helps families purchase healthy foods. I know in my city they do regardless of income, there have to be others that do as well.
If you don’t have time during the week to make food from scratch, do it on Saturday or Sunday. Yes, it does take some time, but in the long run, the results will be worth the small sacrifice. There are also healthier fast food options for those times that you don’t have a choice. Ask for no spread or cheese. Pick the grilled option instead of crispy/crunchy. Opt for a side salad or apples instead of fries. Get an iced tea or water instead of soda. There should be no excuse not to eat healthy regardless of time.
Everyone has time to work out, you just have to be motivated and creative. If you watch t.v. every night, you have time. Exercise at every commercial break. Go to the gym on your lunch break and eat at your desk. Wake up early. Today I really didn’t think I would have time to workout. So instead of driving to my son’s school to work on a project, I ran. Both ways combined ended up being 2 miles. Decent workout for not having time.
If you don’t like fruits or vegetables, it’s time to try them again. There were a lot of things I didn’t like as a child. When I tried them as an adult I was amazed how quickly my opinion changed. I despised fish growing up. Not only do I love fish now, but I even eat it raw. Something I never thought would happen. Sometimes it will take a few times of trying something to really like it. Don’t give up and keep an open mind.
Both of my kids have their likes and dislikes, but at every meal we ask them to take a “no thank you bite”. We use the premise “How do you know you don’t like it if you don’t know what it tastes like?”. Even if it’s on their ‘do not eat’ list we still ask them to try it again. It’s their choice how big or small the bite is. Due to this tactic our kids have expanded their food lists ten fold. Our once very picky eater (due to horrific GERD as a baby) is now a bona fide foodie. He even loves sushi, salmon, brussel sprouts and mushrooms. Our 4 year old has a longer road to get his foodie badge, but as long as he is willing to try new foods he can take as long as he wants.
The point is that any excuse you come up with can be resolved. You just have to want them to be. Stop thinking you can’t do it and tell yourself you can. Find inspiration that will motivate you to the next level. My personal motivater when I want to quit a hard workout is a contestant from the Biggest Loser. At 500 lbs this man was running 5 miles, and looked amazing by the finale. I am obviously much smaller than him. He didn’t use his size as an excuse, so any excuse I have about something being hard is destroyed when I think about his determination.
Now that your excuses are gone what is stopping you from reaching your health/fitness goal?
“Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else.” – Les Brown
It’s the last day of 2013!
#10 Simple Brushchetta Chicken
#9 Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Banana Maple Pudding
#8 Spaghetti Squash Goat Cheese Bake
#6 Paleo Friendly Turkey Meatballs
( <— click for the same one I use)
