Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Delicious Skinny Egg Salad



Skinny Egg Salad 


I have been so busy the past few weeks that I haven't been able to cook as much as I would like to and cooking is something I really love. Being raised in an Italian home helping my mom cook in the kitchen was something I did every day...as long as I could reach the counter by standing on a chair...I was there helping her. 

Lately, I have been so sick of eating the same things for lunch everyday..... turkey, salads, vegetables, that I decided to spice it up today and make a new recipe...Skinny Egg Salad. This recipe comes from one of my favorite cook books called "Dashing Dish" by Katie Farrell. I made a few changes of my own along the way because after all you want to make it your own and eat something you will enjoy :-)


Here we go!

Ingredients:

- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 slice of bacon (turkey or center-cut) cooked 
- 1/2 stalk of celery, coarsely chopped
- Sweet pickles, coarsely chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoons plain non-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon light mayo (or extra tablespoon of yogurt)
- 1/2 teaspoon of mustard
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- Paprika

How to boil eggs:

This is something that I have tried and failed at many, many, many times. How could something so easy as boiling eggs cause so much grief! So to do it right I called my mother and asked her for help. Here are her instructions on how to boil the perfect egg: Put eggs in a pan so they are all flat on the bottom, fill the pan with water so it covers the tops of the egg, and cover with lid. Bring the water to a boil. Once at a roaring boil, lower the heat to a soft boil (so less bubbles, but still bubbling) and boil for 4-6 minutes. Then, remove pan from burner and keep the eggs in the water for another 6 or so minutes. Then empty out the hot water and let cold water run over the eggs (filling up the pan) and overflowing into the sink for several minutes. Empty water and place eggs on towel. Let stand cool for a few more minutes and then place them in a bowl in fridge until use. 

For this recipe, I cooked the eggs a day before I made the egg salad so they could cool in the fridge over night before I used them.

Now for the recipe:

- Peel the eggs and separate 2 yolks from the eggs so you just have the egg whites. For the third egg you will use the whole egg (including the yolk)
- Coarsely chop eggs and put into bowl. (Note: if you are wondering what coarsely shopped means the definition is "composed or relatively large parts or particle" compliments of dictionary.com) So basically all that means is don't chop up until you have little baby bite size pieces :-)  (photo below)




- Add bacon (crumble), celery, and pickles. (I added some red grapes because that's what I grew up with..and to cut the sweetness of the pickles) 
-Then add yogurt, mayo, mustard, salt, and pepper into the bowl. 
-Stir everything together gently with a spatula
-Top with paprika for fun and lunch is served!

In my recipe, I mixed everything together in the Tupperware container I was storing it in in the fridge...I am all about using less dishes! Also, my photos don't show paprika on top because I was out, but definitely a seasoning I would recommend adding to my egg salad. I doubles the recipe so that I would have leftovers for the week. Helpful if you are cooking for two or a family. 

From my kitchen to yours......I hope you enjoy!

In the comments below let me know if you make it and like it! Also, if there are any questions you have while reading the recipe feel free to ask! I would love to help!

xoxo Ashley 

**If following 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme the serving size for the egg salad alone is 1 red container**
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Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Butter, Olive Oil, or Coconut Oil....Which one is better for us?





Everyday we are constantly being told about food that is bad or good for us only to have the next day come and find out the standards have been changed.....again. It can be so frustrating. When it comes to cooking there are 3 main products we use: butter, olive oil, and a new one, coconut oil. The other day I thought "which one should I really be cooking with?" I decided to do some research to find out. While I am no expert on the issue, I will simply be stating the facts that I have found in my research. 

Coconut oil 

I tried this for the first time the other day. I put some in my Shakeology shake yesterday morning and it was quite delicious! A lot of my health friends have been trying it, so I decided to try it to...I mean I want to be healthy too..right?  However, I realized that I don't know that much about it. All I know it that it is becoming more popular these days. So here is what I found:

Coconut oil has a very high saturated fat content, in fact it is made up of 100% fat. Now I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound very good to me. However, its fat content differs from the traditional definition of fat. When I think of 'fat' I think about the bad kind of fat, the saturated fat which is more commonly found in animal products. Coconut oil has a high content of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). The way MCFAs are composed make it harder for our body to convert it into stored fat and make it easier to burn off, compared to long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs). LCFAs are found more in animal products and are more likely to be stored as fat, this excess storage of fat is what can lead to health problems. 

However, the type of coconut oil is important to pay attention to. There are three types of coconut oil: hydrogenated coconut oil, refined coconut oil, and virgin coconut oil. Hydrogenated oil is processed oil that contains trans fats and can be just as bad as other processed oils and have terrible effects on the body. Refined coconut oil is extracted from chemically bleached and deodorized coconut meat...now I don't know exactly what that means, but it doesn't paint a pretty picture. The last type, and the best, is virgin coconut oil...go figure. This type is extracted from the fruit of fresh mature coconuts without the high temperatures or chemicals as the other two are. It is as close to the real stuff as you can get.

The benefits of virgin coconut oil are that it has been shown to have antioxidant properties, more likely to increase a person's HDL (the good cholesterol) compared to other oils, and help you lose weight and decrease waist size. The negative effects of coconut oil is that, while is may contain fewer calories than other fats,it is a high-fat oil that is very dense with calories and adding it to an already poor diet won't help you lose weight.

Butter

I remember when I was little a friend of mine would eat sticks of butter because they thought it tasted good. All I remember thinking, even at a young age, is that that can't be good for you. Butter always gets a bad rap..."its too fatty," "it's not good for you," "you will clog your arteries," ....blah blah blah. In some part it is true though. Butter contains more long-chain fatty acids than medium-chain fatty acids, which as we know are harder for the body to break down and easier to be store as fat. 

There has been a myth going around since before I was born, even before my parents were born, that butter can put you at an increase risk of cardiovascular disease. But only when it is consumed in excessive amounts can this occur. Butter does have positive effects for the body;it is a great source of vitamins and minerals, contains healthy fatty acids (MCFAs), it contains omega-3 & 6 fats, which helps with brain function and skin health. 

The next question when it comes to butter is: unsalted or salted. When you go to the grocery store the butter is clearly labeled as either or. Personally, if you want butter I would go for the unsalted that way you can manage your amount of salt intake. 

Olive Oil

This was and continues to be the main oil that I cook with. My mom used it growing up so naturally when I moved out on my own I used it too. Everyone says that olive oil is better for you than butter and that it is more natural. However, the interesting thing is that olive oil is mainly fat as well. It contains monounsaturated fatty acids (meaning a single chain of fatty acids), which is better for your health than saturated and is easier for the body to break down. The benefits of olive oil have shown to help reduce inflammation, decrease risk for cardiovascular disease, as well as prevent other diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, etc. Currently, there are no known negative effects of consuming olive oil.

After reading all of this information we are brought back to our original question, which one is healthier for us?? 

And the answer is... there is no clear winner here. 

All of them have can be good for us, but if you consume too much of one of them it can be bad for your body. Just like consuming too much protein, carbohydrates, or dare I say peanut butter, can be bad for you. 

So where do we go from here? The decision is really up to you which product you like and want to use. If you keep variation in your diet, pay attention to serving sizes, and don't consume too much of any of these oils you should be fine.

If you came here looking for a specific answer, much like I was, I am sorry to let you down. But hopefully you leave feeling more educated and empowered in your choices. Comment below and let me know your thoughts.

XOXO Ashley


(P.S. It is important to note that the research reported here is in its beginning stages. Keep yourself educated on what you are putting in your body and always consult your physician if you have questions).


References:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266258.php
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/282857.php 
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=newtip&dbid=9
http://draxe.com/top-8-health-benefits-of-butter/
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Thursday, March 19, 2015

So......Why can't I drink again?




I have only been able to legally drink for 2 years now (I was the youngest in my class) and we have been taught that drinking isn't healthy for us because it is all empty calories. Now I don't drink very often, but when I do I will have several drinks in one evening. There is only one day out of the year that I allow myself to go all out......and that day is St. Patty's Day. I am not Irish, I just use it as an excuse to go day drinking like every other non-Irish person.

When I celebrated St. Patty's Day the past two years I drank green beer, ate greasy food, and had a major hangover the next day. This year I was expecting the same thing to happen and for the most part it did. I still ate the greasy food, I didn't drink as much, but I had a few drinks, (there was no green beer anywhere to be found in DC).....but I felt different. While I was out with my friends I realized I started to think about how all of this was going to make me feel the next day. Sure enough the next day I woke up feeling bloated, yucky, and..... I felt guilty. Not in a guilty sense that I had done anything wrong, but I felt I had thrown away all the progress I had made that week in my fitness regimen (I just started the 21 Day Fix Extreme).

I have been workout out, trying to eat clean, and watch what I eat for seven months now. If I eat or drink something that isn't in line with my daily intake my body realizes it and I feel gross.. for better lack of a word. I didn't realize how much of a difference it really makes when you stop drinking all the time or cut out that extra side of fries.

When people decide to join my challenge groups I tell them that part of the commitment is no drinking allowed. Some people respond by saying "really?!" or "I can't drink at all?" or my favorite "What about one every once in a while?" I explain to them that drinking has no positive benefits to help you get to the fitness goal you are trying to reach; it only fills you with empty calories, leaves you dehydrated, and with a nasty hangover the next morning. Alcohol keeps you from attaining your goals when you consume too much because your body isn't getting the proper nutrients. I don't know about you, but I would rather wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day than sluggish and lethargic. This is different for everyone though. Some people aren't ready to make that commitment yet and that's okay they will get there someday.

So when people ask me if they can drink or not while they are in a challenge group I leave it up to them. I tell them the positive and negatives to each side and let them choose...I mean I won't really know because I am not there with them. All I am asking is for you to challenge yourself and see what you can do it 30 days...you would be pretty surprised at what you can accomplish. When there is so much amazing food out there...why would I want to waste my calories on an alcoholic beverage when I could be eating turkey lettuce wraps or homemade Italian meatballs? I am not saying you should never drink because lets face it we all do and will, but when it comes to you making a difference on your health journey it is something that should be considered.

St. Pattys Day 2016? We will have to see :-)


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Monday, March 16, 2015

An Amazing Filling Breakfast Treat

Cookie Dough Overnight Oatmeal 


This is ONE breakfast that you won't want to skip out on! When I make these I can't wait for moring to come, it is my go-to breakfast, well besides my Shakeology of course. :-) If I know I have a busy week coming up and I'm in need of a on-the-go breakfast this is what I make...super easy, super fast, so delicious! <3 

When I was younger my mom could not get me to eat breakfast. She would try and try and even though I always said 'no' she would still wake up early enough to make me something for breakfast. I don't know why I didn't eat breakfast, I always said it was because I had to get up so early to go to school...the bus would come at like 6:50 in the morning....my brain and my stomach didn't have enough time to comprehend that it was breakfast time! All I know is if I had this as an option growing up I would have ate breakfast every.single.day.

All I do is make these the night before, stick them in the fridge, and I have breakfast for a few days. I got this recipe from a clean eating cook book called Dashing Dish by Katie Farrell. I have made a few changes of my own and feel free to as well when you make this....recipes are all about making them your own!

The Goods:

  • 1/2 cup plain nonfat greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or low-fat milk)
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1/4 cup protein powder (I use any flavor of Shakeology, depends on the mood I am in) or add additional oats
  • 1/4 cup sweetener that measures like sugar
  • 1 teaspoon chocolate chips 
  • 1/2 teaspoon butter extract (or vanilla extract)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
Get Cooking:
  • In a medium bowl mix together yogurt and almond milk
  • Add in the oats, protein powder, sweetner, chocolate chips, butter extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  • Stir to combine
  • Divide between 2 small bowls, mugs, or mason jars.
  • Cover and refridgerate for at least one hour (so the oats soften and absorb the liquid)
  • Serve cold or pop in the microwave for 30-60 second
Notes: When I make mine I don't add sweetner or sugar because I feel that is it sweet enough without it. Also, feel free to add fresh fruit to the top of the oatmal, I personally like blueberries, strawberries, or bananas. 

21 Day Fix Nurtition Plan
- If you are on the 21 Day fix I measure out the portions using 1 yellow container and 1red container. Depending on how much fruit you add will determine your purple. (1/2-1 full container).

Nutritional Facts:
Yields 2 servings (depending on how much you measure out), 
Per Serving: 251 calories, 6 grams of fat, 34 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 6 grams sugar, 20 grams protein

ENJOY!

XOXO Ashley 


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Thursday, March 5, 2015

Apple Bacon Feta Turkey Sliders

Apple Bacon Feta Turkey Sliders


Today I was driving home from work trying to decide what the heck to make for dinner. We haven't gone grocery shopping in a while, aka have not had the time to, and I really did not want to eat a frozen veggie burger, no offense I love them, but I just was not in the mood.

So I called Albert, that's my boyfriend, and asked him what he wanted for dinner. It was the usual conversation of "I don't know what do you want?" "I don't know..what do you feel like?" "No, but what are you in the mood for?" After this going on for several minutes I told him to look in the cookbook. This is not just any regular cookbook people.....this is the BEST cookbook. He came across this recipe and I agreed instantly...dinner was picked! The following recipe came from Dashing Dish by Katie Farrell...I modified it a little :-)

The Supplies: (Estimated Time: 45 minutes)
1 pound extra-lean ground turkey (or lean ground beef)
2 slices of turkey bacon (or however much bacon you want!)
1/2 cup finely diced apple
1/4 cup finely diced sweet onion
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
9 whole grain wheat buns, sandwich thins, or lettuce wraps for serving

In a large bowl mix the turkey, bacon, apples, onions, feta, syrup (or BBQ sauce), salt pepper, and garlic powder together until combined. I use my hands to mix it all together. (I know it feels gross, but just get through it and you will do fine!).

So in my version I made regular size hamburgers. I used about 1/5 of the mixture for each patty. In the original recipe to make sliders it calls to use 1/4 cup of mixture to make 9 sliders...the option is up to you!
In a skillet, drizzle some olive oil and set burner to around medium. (Do not go over medium or you may burn the outside, before the inside is cooked.) Cook for about 8 minutes, depending on your stove top, filp half way through, and then remove to cool on a plate. Let rest for a few minutes before diving in. Top with some freshly cut apple, feta cheese, or your favorite burger toppings. Whip up a side of sweet potatoe fries and you are all set!

I have to say that these is the MOST DELICIOUS burger I have had in a while. I hope you try it and find a new favorite.

XoXo Ashley


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Sunday, March 1, 2015

Hey There!


Welcome to my blog! My name is Ashley and this is my first blog....ever! I have to admit when I was growing up I thought blogs were silly, but now that I am older I have realized they are a way to connect people and to inspire one another. I hope that my blog inspires you to do a DIY project, to learn a new cooking recipe, to be proactive in your health, to just be you.

I am a pretty busy person like I am sure a lot of you are that are reading this. I am a full time masters student, I work at a local brewery, I am a Beachbody Coach, and I still manage to find time to do the things I love.

I lived in Michigan my whole life until last summer (June 2014) when my boyfriend and I packed everything up and moved to Washington, DC. I got accepted to the the MA program at George Washington University to study Forensic Psychology..it was a dream come true!

I have worked in the restaurant industry for 5 year now. So where do I look for a job...well at a brewery of course! Living on a student budget is something we can all relate to...and living on the east coast is way more expensive than Michigan!

Also, I am a Beachbody coach. I have been coaching for 6 months now and I love every minute of it. Not only have I transformed my life, but I have the privilege to help encourage others to transform themselves. Honestly, there is no better feeling!

So in between studying for my masters program, working in a brewery, and being a coach I enjoy reading (mainly mystery books...big time old school Agathe Christie fan over here!), traveling, spending time with my adorable nieces, cooking..yes definitely cooking, and the list goes on! 

If I had to describe myself in 5 works I would say: funny, sarcastic, friendly, encouraging, and supportive. I love going on adventures, trying new food, and pushing my limits. I am also weirdly obsessed with minions, bows, flowers, scarfs, the color pink, and calling my dog "kitty." I have always dreamed of traveling to Europe, mainly England, Spain, and Italy. I mean I am Italian and I am fluent in Spanish..so why not?!

So tell me about yourself! I would love to get to know you! Comment Below!

I hope that you find whatever it is that you are looking for here...whether it be a laugh, an encouraging word, a new recipe, help with your fitness journey, or just to smile! 

XOXO Ashley 


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