What's In My Gym Bag - Perricone Supplement

This week in my gym bag I am featuring my favorite multi vitamin - Perricone Skin & Total Body Supplements.  I have used these for years.  I take them twice a day when I am feeling drained or once a day the majority of the time.  (The directions call for twice a day.)

 The biggest change I see is that  I have a noticeable difference in my energy level.  I also find my hair and skin look and feel more healthy.  I have let myself run out of these on occasion only to find I am tired and my skin greatly suffers.  They are pricey but definitely worth the money!


You can check them out here:                                  

Saturday Secret - Ezekial Tortillas Make An Awesome Pizza Crust

Pizza is one of my favorite all time meals!  I do not always want to use that as my treat meal so I am always looking for a healthy yet satisfying alternative.  I occasionally do use whole-wheat crust but wanted something cleaner.  As any of you that have eaten Ezekiel tortillas know, they are a little thick to give you the sensation that you are actually eating a tortilla.  They break and are difficult to eat.  Although a healthy alternative to a flour or whole wheat tortilla, I have found they make a much better pizza crust!

I make mine in a toaster oven on bake and they are delish!  Here is an easy recipe to get you started:

1/4 cup all natural tomato/pasta sauce (no sugar added)
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 8" sprouted grain (Ezekiel) tortilla
1/8 cup sliced red peppers
1/8 cup sliced zucchini
1/8 cup mushrooms
1/8 cup chopped red onions
2 Tbsp. shredded mozzarella cheese (light)
2 Tbsp. shredded parmesan cheese


1.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2.  Combine tomato sauce, oregano & garlic in a bowl and mix well.
3.  Place tortilla on a baking sheet and spread tomato/pasta sauce on it.
4.  Top with veggies & cheeses.
5.  Bake for 8-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
6.  Enjoy!

Other toppings I use include spinach, ground turkey, sun-dried tomatoes and jalapenos.

Friday Faves - Finesseur Scale

I have purchased a couple of different scales, looking for the perfect one and have finally found that in the Finesseur.  It is sleek, small, light-weight and blends right in on my kitchen counter.  Whether I am baking a new dish that needs precise measurement or weighing and measuring my food for the day, the Finesseur never fails me.

You can place your container directly on the platform and then hit "tare" to zero out the container weight before weighing with your food in the container which is so convenient.  The platform is made of tempered glass and wipes clean easily.

If you are trying to accurately track your caloric intake and want to do it the traditional way with a scale, I highly recommend this one.  Do not fool yourself that you can accurately guess or estimate food weight by eye balling it.  Especially if you are just starting out on your healthy eating journey, an accurate scale is a must!

I got mine off Amazon for about $25.  Well worth the money.

Happy Friday everyone!

Fish Friday - Sicilian Swordfish

Happy Fish Friday everyone!  Here is another recipe for you to try during Lent.

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

1/3 cup dark or golden raisins
5 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups ripe roma tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup black olives, chopped or whole (I prefer whole)
2 Tbsp. pine nuts
2 Tbsp. capers, rinsed
6 (1" thick) swordfish steaks with skin (2 lbs.)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Put raisins in a bowl and cover with lukewarm water.  Soak 30 minutes.  Drain.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Grease a 9X13 glass baking dish.
4. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook onion & garlic, stirring until tender (5 minutes.) Stir in raisins, tomatoes, olives, pine nuts & capers and simmer.  Cook, covered, until slightly thickened (10 minutes.)
5. Sprinkle fish with salt & pepper and arrange in baking dish.  Cover with sauce and bake until a paring knife pierces fish with no resistance and fish is cooked through (20-25 minutes.)
6. Remove skin if desired and serve 1 steak on each plate with a spoon of sauce.

Enjoy!

Nutritional Information:

346 Calories
19.7g Fat (3.3g Sat.)
31g Protein
10.5g Carbohydrates

Thirsty Thursday - La Croix Flavored Water

I love having a glass of red wine or champagne after a productive day to celebrate!  Unfortunately I would like to have that more than my personal plan allows.  I am always on the look out for something healthy that still gives me that celebratory feeling.  I have finally found a solution to my problem - La Croix sparkling flavored water.

I have tried many other flavored waters and never cared for the flavor.  I came across this in Whole Foods on my recent visit and since it was on sale decide, why not!  I chose the berry flavor and absolutely love it.

Pour it in a wine glass with some ice and it has the fizzle and feel of a glass of champagne with zero calories, carbs, salt or sugar.  It also does not have artificial sweetener which I love!

The next time you feel like celebrating and it is not your on plan day to do so, give La Croix a try.  You will be glad you did!

In Honor of National Heart Disease Awareness Month - Heart Healthy Foods.

February is Heart Disease Awareness Month.  Heart Disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.  Adding exercise to your daily routine as well as healthy eating can do wonders for reducing your risk of heart disease, not to mention reducing your waistline.

The key to reducing your risk is clean eating (eating whole, natural foods) along with eating heart healthy foods such as fish, whole grains, fruits & vegetables, an occasional glass of red wine or piece of dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more.)  Making incremental swaps in your diet could make big differences for you.  Here are a few heart healthy foods that contain Omega-3s, Carotenoids, B-complex vitamins, C&E vitamins, phytoestrogen and phytosterols (all known to protect the heart, lower blood pressure & cholesterol):

Fish high in Omega-3s:  salmon, tuna, mackerel & trout.

Healthy nuts:  almonds or walnuts.

Hummus & Veggies:  packed with vitamins & nutrients.

Spinach:  great as a substitute for lettuce.

Berries:  Such as blueberries, strawberries & raspberries are full of phytonutrients & fiber.

Red, Yellow & Orange Veggies:  Carrots, sweet potatoes, red peppers are full of vitamins & fiber.

Flax seed:  Contains omega-3 fatty acids.  Throw them in your daily shake!

These are just a few of the foods you can work into your diet to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Cheers to healthy eating!

Two For Tuesday - Heart Healthy Red Wines

In honor of Heart Disease Awareness month, my Two for Tuesday is 2 of my favorite, economical red wines.  Red wine (in moderation of course) can help improve good (HDL) cholesterol levels, which helps prevent heart disease.  It also contains melatonin, which helps with sleep; also has antioxidants that slow aging as well as reduce fine lines and wrinkles; and can also lower the risk of breast cancer in women.  Just a few of the benefits of having a glass of vino!

The first bottle is Dreaming Tree "Crush" blended red wine.  For those of you that do not know, this wine is a wine made by Dave Matthews and  expert wine-maker Sean McKenzie.  I love Dave Matthews as an artist, so in all honesty, that is what originally drew me to this blend.  The wine has notes of vanilla and many different types of berries.  It has  a very smooth finish which I love.  It is excellent with red meats or with a cheese tray.

My second favorite wine is Josh Cellars Cabernet.  It has a deeper, richer flavor in my opinion with a spicy scent.  I taste more plum and smokiness in this than in Dreaming Tree.  This is our wine of choice at our favorite sushi place so that is my normal paring of Josh.

Both are excellent and in my area both range about $15.  If you are looking for a new red to try, these are two of my favorites.  Cheers!