Happy Boxing Day... It's Wordless Wednesday



Sunday Stuff... Gonna Take the #Paleo Plunge

I have not done too much baking for Christmas this year... we are going to be on our own this year and quite honestly, neither of us wants to have a lot of sweet stuff around.  Last week I made some of Chef Katelyn's almond and coconut flour cookies, and we enjoyed them immensely.

Yesterday I made a few light Spice Crackle Drops from a Weight Watchers newsletter for The Captain...

 

and a pan of gluten-free brownies, with a premade mix that I picked up at the Bulk Barn when we were away in September.  I had to add egg, vanilla, and warm water to it.  Oh my!  They are delicious so I made sure to put more than half of it in the freezer...

 

 

 

For the past week or so, I have been reading about the Paleo Diet.  This has intrigued me since I first started hearing about it last year.  But it never occurred to me to give it a try. I love milk and yogurt and cheese way too much to want to give them up.

 

But since I have given up gluten for health reasons, I have been reading more and really getting into the science behind the Paleo Diet and have decided to take the plunge.  My overall blood protein levels continue to drop, even though we can find nothing wrong with any of my internal organs... not complaining... I know that is a good thing.... but I have decided to do the 30 Day Challenge starting January 1stto see if it makes a difference.  So I have been arming myself with knowledge and making sure my pantry and fridge and freezer are ready....

 

 

In very simple terms it means giving up dairy, legumes, soy products, grains and grasses, corn, white potatoes, and alcohol for the 30 days. I will enjoy lean meats, fish, freggies, nuts and some seeds... lots of water, teas and coffee.  It's only 30 days, and I will assess how I am feeling along the way.

 

I am also really  leaning toward signing up for Tina Reale's next Best Body Bootcamp that starts on January 7th.  I think I need the structure.  I have been doing lots of workouts, but willy-nilly and am  not seeing any more muscles growing. I admit I need help!

 

Have you ever tried any unusual or extreme food plans?

 

Have you done one of Tina's Best Body Bootcamps?  Would love to know what you think about it.

 

Are you all ready for Christmas?







Do You Know @MyHandana?

For the past several days I have been trying out and assessing the COOLEST little piece of workout wear that you can imagine!

It is called a Handana

It arrived in an envelope, looking like this...





The text on the card read " High performance and fashionable sports bands for runners, walkers, cyclist, triathletes, yog, the gym and more! "

Well, I could hardly wait to put it through its paces...  

At first I wasn't quite sure how to put it on!  And then I realized it doesn't really matter... thumb through the opening or the whole thing just wrapped around my hand.

I wore it during a very sweaty strength training routine... and instead of using my towel between sets, I just wiped my forehead and neck with the Handana and it did a great job of wicking the moisture away from my skin... and I was quite surprised that the fabric didn't change color when it was wet, either.

When I was lifting weights, it didn't get in my way at all, but when doing some pushups and mountain climbers, I felt like the fabric might make my hand slip on the floor so I just pushed it aside, and then put it back in place when I was done with those moves. 

But what I am really excited about is wearing it while I am running.  I never leave for a run without several tissues in my pocket because I am constantly wiping sweat away from my forehead and my face and my neck. If I don't have a pocket, I have to tuck the tissues under my watch band or in my shoe.  NOT ANY MORE!  Now, the Handana does that job, and very well!  I just put it on and off I go..... it even fits nicely over my gloved hand in the cooler weather.



And, oh yah, it can handle a little snot, too!

It washes nicely by hand and dries very quickly when left hanging, or you can toss it into washer and dryer with your other workout gear if you prefer.

I love this little goodie so much... and I only wish we had all discovered it long ago... I just know that it will be on the top of everyone's Christmas wish list next year.

To see more about the Handana, visit their web site and their Facebook page - there are so many beautiful colors to choose from, and several sizes too.  And best of all, these are not just for women because men sweat too, and so Handana has colors and sizes for them as well.

If you do go visit, please let them know I sent you!  Thanks.

If you use the promo code Holiday at checkout, you will save 25% until December 31st, 2012.

I was given a Handana for review but the opinions are my own.

Do you Handana?

What do you use to wipe away sweat while running, biking or at the gym?

Portable Healthy Snacks... Don't Leave Home Without Them

One of the ways I keep on track with my weight maintenance and pay attention to nutrition is by always preparing and packing my own snacks to take along when I go out.

I rarely leave the house without something in my pocket, or my purse, or my totebag.  I really hate being caught out hungry... cause if I don't eat very soon, the hunger turns to hanger, and it ain't pretty!  Ask The Captain.  I can feel the light-headedness hit and then I get woozy, and hot and kinda dizzy... very cranky and panicky for something to eat, NOW.  Usually he can tell it is coming on before I even begin to feel it, by my mood swing.

What and much I  pack depends on how long I am going to be out... and where I am headed. If I know there is a coffee or tea stop with good and suitable eats on my travels, the pack-along snack will usually be smaller, but I do take it anyway... to me it is like being prepared for an emergency, just like having some cash and a lip gloss.

So what kinds of things do I like to pack?

Fresh fruit is always a good choice for me.  Apples and bananas are my first choice, and this time of year I would add Mandarin oranges to that list because they are so easy to peel... and then oranges, apple-pears, grapefruit, plums, peaches and nectarines are good as well.  Anything firm that is not too ripe.

If I get light-headed from hunger, a piece of fruit picks me up very quickly.



I also like to pack nuts.  I bought some small plastic containers and I weigh out 1/2 ounce of nuts into them and then toss a couple of the containers into my bag on the way out the door.. they will usually remain there till I have eaten them and they need to be replaced.  I like raw nuts best... almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts, and seeds, too... pumpkin and sunflower are my favorites.

Nuts have protein and fat and help satisfy my hunger till I can get something more substantial. I pack them in small enough batches so that I won't overdo eating them, and so they are a small package to take along, too.



Occasionally I pack dried fruit in my small containers... Oh! Naturals Flavoured Banana Chips are very good.  And, I like raisins, goldenberries, dried cranberries, apples, mangoes, pineapple, strawberries, papaya, cherries, coconut, and prunes, too.  The dried fruit packs a bit of sugar whallop so I don't eat too much of it at once.



Homemade trail mixes are good, too.  I like nuts and seeds, along with some dried fruit and some dark chocolate chips or mini M&Ms.  I also pack my trail mixes in small enough containers that I won't overdo the munching! But the combination of the sugar and fat and protein does satisfy my hunger quite quickly and stays with me longer than fruit alone would.



In the past, before I gave up gluten, I liked to buy the little tuna salad and cracker snacks at Costco - they come in a 6 pack.  And in the U.S. I found chicken salad and cracker packs as well. They are handy cause they come in a tidy little package along with a tiny spoon.  I used to keep a few in the glove box of my car.

Sometimes I will pack a protein bar of some kind, or a Taste of Nature fruit and nut bar, a LARABAR, or a coconut macaroon.... anything that is not just a 'cookie'.



It is important to have the right tools along as well.  If have fruit, I will take it in a plastic bag so that I have a place to put the banana peel, or the apple core.  If I have an orange or a grapefruit, I might take a peeler along.  And I usually have tissues or a napkin or wet-wipe for my dainty fingers.

So, for an example... Monday I had a doctor's appointment scheduled for 11:15 a.m. I knew it would be well past lunch time before we got home so I took along a banana in a plastic bag, and a couple of the little containers of almonds in my purse.

It was noon before we got out of the doctor's office and I needed to find a lab to have some blood drawn, so on the way there we shared the banana and some of the nuts. We didn't get home till after 1 p.m. and it was almost 1:30 by the time we sat down to eat lunch.  But it was okay because I had eaten that snack... without it, I would have had to come home and have lunch and then go to the lab, or try to find a nutritious, suitable lunch out before going to the lab, which is not always easy in a pinch.

If I know I am going to be gone for longer time, in the car, I pack along a cooler... but that is another post!

Do you pack your own snacks when you head to the gym our out for a walk, or to the mall?

What are your favorite things to take?

Thanks @chefkatelyn For Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been looking for a holiday cookie to bake for several days... since I swore off gluten on November 20th there has been no question about indulging in all my usual Christmas favorites... shortbread, butter and mincemeat tarts, and molasses cookies.... they are all made with wheat flour and I have not had enough experience with gluten-free alternatives to start experimenting with these classics!

Several weeks ago I did make some almond flour cookies, with milled flax seed, using raisins and also peanut butter chips, that are passable, but not spectacular.  I kept looking for something a little more special and also more like REAL cookies.

So, when I came across Chef Katelyn's recipe for chocolate chip cookies, I was pretty sure I had found a winner. I have used Katelyn's recipes before and know that she only posts them when they are reliable and quite delicious!  I was not disappointed...  I used mint flavored chocolate chips in this batch and they are quite festive... I see possibilities for other seasonal addins, too... crushed candy canes, dried cranberries with white chocolate chips, for starters.

 

I wish I had taken better pictures before they all disappeared!  They could be considered vegetarian (they do have egg and butter) as well as Paleo/Primal, if that is a concern... try them if you are looking for something that doesn't have flour in it... and is GOOD!

 

Katelyn mentions that these cookies are sweet AND salty... so if you don't want the salty, leave the salt out... I enjoyed it!