Dragon Beans

Replace a meal a day with Shakeology!

2009-10-28T15:43:00.001-07:00

Shakeology-It's Breakfast time!

2009-10-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

I've always incorporated protein shakes into my menus because they are fast, easy and delicious!
Now I've switched out my usual strawberry/banana whey for Shakeology because of all the extra nutrition and honestly, I don't like to miss a day of Shakeology because I feel so much better when I have it every day.

There are load of "recipes" on the Shakeology website that you can use but I like to keep it pretty simple. For the chocolate shakeology, I often just mix it up with water, ice and a little cinnamon and a T. of extra vanilla whey. If I need extra fat or calories, I mix the chocolate with 1/2 banana and a teaspoon of peanut butter...and always lots of ice! Yesterday, I mixed the chocolate Shakeology with water, ice and 5 frozen strawberries. It turned really thick and frothy like a chocolate mousse! The boys loved it! We had to eat that with a spoon!

For the greenberry Shakeology, I like it with watered down pineapple/orange juice, ice and 1/3 banana. Or just the juice and greenberry. The tanginess of the pineapple and orange cuts a little of the natural sweetness of the greenberry.

What I love most... there are no artificials in Shakeology. No caffeine. Gluten free.
So the natural energy I am feeling when I'm taking Shakeology is because I'm getting so much nutrition that my body craves!

Enjoy the day! Get out and do something active with your family today! Move your body! If you are stuck at a desk all day, make your break an active break. Go walk some stairs or get outside for even a few minutes and get some fresh air!

Together fit!

Anne

Pancakes

2009-10-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

Pancakes are on the breakfast menu today. Same recipe as the waffles below.
But for the topping today I'm cooking apples in a skillet with a little bit of brown sugar, cinnamon and a splash of vanilla once I take the apples off the heat.
I love waffles and pancakes because they are so quick and you can use whole wheat flour and your family will love them! :) It's a good introduction to working with whole wheat flour. Next stop, quick soda breads and then yeasted breads.

We had an incredible time in California at the Ritz Carlton last weekend. Fresh melon and berries every morning by the ocean! We were introduced to sushi and loved that. But it's always good to be back home and cooking our own food, sleeping in our own bed, surrounded by our own family.

Eat well! Live well!

Anne

Flounder Tonight!

2009-09-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

Well, first of all, let me say I wasn't pleased when I saw a package of flounder in my freezer. But Dave said Sams was out of the Orange Roughy that I had on my list. Out of Orange Roughy??? What is up with that? I couldn't remember why I didn't like flounder, but I wanted fish for supper and flounder is what was handy.

I thawed out the flounder and then remembered! Ah. I didn't like it because it didn't grill well on my Cuisinart Griddler. It is so thin that it becomes kind of like jerky when you grill it. And then it tastes rather fishy too. I remembered having it rolled up and swimming in a creamy sauce, but of course I'm not going to put cream on top! So I looked around the kitchen. What could I roll up in the flounder!
Here is what I ended up doing and I must say...it was tasty.

I thawed out 6 flounder fillets. I cut a jalepeno lengthwise into ribbons. I spread some spicy course mustard on the fillet put a ribbon or two of jalapeno, and a tiny strip of 2% swiss cheese. Then I sprinkled cajun seasoning over the tops of the fish rolls.

On the heated panini press I carefully placed the rolled up fish. Aside from the fact that it stuck pretty badly even with Pam spray, I have to say it was delicious. My boys were even asking for more. {This is a thought...since flounder is evidently very low in fat, I'm going to put olive oil on it next time and spray the grill.}

And that's...the flounder story for tonight.

Oh! I almost forgot. Next to the flounder, I put thick slices of vidalia onions!Mmmmm...

Anne

Healthy Breakfast

2009-09-16T15:15:00.001-07:00

Beginning of a new home school week, so I tried to make the first meal of the day a little more special than our usual pancakes, cereal or egg/toast. Pictured left to right:

Whole wheat waffle in, yes, another Cuisinart appliance..you'd think I was a rep for them, but I'm not...the Cuisinart waffle maker. I replaced our old Belgian waffle maker with this small, compact waffle maker and it's been great. The waffles cook quickly and you don't get a massive amount of bread, so it's more 'carb' friendly if you are looking for that.
Homemade applesauce with cinnamon shaker behind it
Hot berry mixture
Fage 0% Greek style yogurt
Agave nectar
Chopped walnuts

I grew up eating waffles only with syrup or with butter, brown sugar and cream. Don't try the 2nd..I'm still addicted to it. This day I wanted to provide a healthier alternative to give the boys something new to try. So, how did it go over?

Adam, 11, put applesauce, cinnamon, nuts and the berry mixture.
Luke, 9, (my sugar-holic) actually surprised me by loading his up with the berry mixture and nuts. Reason this really surprised me is because I didn't sweeten the berries..and he still gobbled them up.
Davey, 15, used the berries, applesauce, nuts and agave nectar.
Me, 44, had one waffle with 1/4 cup Fage, berries, 1 T. walnuts, cinnamon and a little agave nectar.

Recipes:

Whole wheat waffles. This is our pretty standard waffle/pancake recipe. I grind my own wheat flour, but you can use whole wheat from the store. You can modify this easily by substituting rice milk and vinegar if you don't do dairy, by using all egg whites instead of whole eggs..etc... But this is the basic recipe.

2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 T. canola oil

Mix the above. Then, if you want to only mess up one bowl, gently pile on top:

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
scant salt
scant sugar if desired

Before stirring in, kind of mix the dry ingredients together.

Then, stir all until combined. If it seems a little thick, add a bit more buttermilk. Too thin? Stir in 1/4 cup of flour at a time to get it thicker.

Bake in waffle iron.

Hot Berry Sauce

I make hot berry sauce without really measuring, but you really can't mess up something like this!

2 cups rinsed, frozen mixed berries or blueberries (blueberries hold their shape..the mixed berries will be more like a jam when it's done. We buy big bags at Sam's to save money)
1/2 cup water with 1 T. cornstarch dissolved in
Squeeze of lemon or lime juice

Put all in a small, heavy saucepan on medium. As berries thaw, stir until thick and bubbly. I used to add about 2T or 1/4 cup sugar but now I don't and let everyone just put a little agave nectar or brown sugar on top to taste. Serve hot. Save leftovers to stir into your yogurt snack later in the day!

That's it. One of my favorite high energy breakfasts. I shoot for a breakfast like this once a week. The rest of the week it's oatmeal, egg white omelets, Shakeology and other recipes from the Chalean Recipe guide and the P90X recipe guide.

Note: The fage yogurt is a high protein source and it's such a creamy texture, you'll think you are eating something really decadent! It satisfies me like a dessert.

In this together,
Anne
5 Star Beachbody Coach

Socks!

2009-09-09T13:27:00.000-07:00

I don't have any pictures saved on my computer, but I have to tell you that I love nice socks!
And since I promised to review my favorite products, let me tell you the socks I love the most!
1. Feetures. These come in thin and more padded. I love them. They are treated so they don't stink. I will wear them for 2 -3 workouts before sending them into the wash. I turn them inside out, lay them over my workout shoes and let them dry out. Why? Because that way I always know where my socks are. I don't like having to sort through a basket of socks before a workout! And typically, we have a huge basket that needs sorting! So, I try to wash my workout socks with only my workout clothes and they are less likely to disappear into the great laundry abyss.

2. Fox River makes awesome socks.. All kinds and colors. They are a little less pricey than SmartWool but just as nice. Just remember not to dry the wool socks in the dryer, even if the label says to. They will eventually shrink up.

3. Smartwool. Super, fantastic socks. I love the wool because it is naturally antimi..whatever that long word is.

And a pair I'm trying out now is by Fox River and it's made from non-gmo corn. At first I thought...corn socks? But think about it. Cotton is a plant. Linen is from a plant. Why not use corn for socks? And they are supposed to be naturally antimicro...in a similar way as wool. So far so good. I'm running a test and have worked out 4 times with my corny socks and so far, they don't stink! And the workouts I've been doing are P90X plus and Tony Horton's One on Ones and by the time I'm done, typically there isn't a dry spot on any of my clothing!

Speaking of Tony Horton, I get to work out with him and with Chalene Johnson in 37 days at the Ritz Carlton where Beachbody is holding the Leadership Game Plan event! I'll review that hotel for you too when we get there! :) You don't have to be jealous.. just be a Beachbody Coach with me! You'll get to meet all kinds of fantastic people!

In this together,
Anne

The Cuisinart Griddler G-4

2009-09-06T12:41:00.000-07:00

This is, without a doubt, my favorite kitchen appliance of all time. We bought it a year ago as a 'Mother/Father's Day' present and we have literally used it almost every day since then..except vacation, of course. I generally don't like appliances that clutter up my kitchen countertop. But for this, I make an exception, because we use it so much.
It makes cooking your meats in a healthier way so much easier and quicker.
The meal in the picture took 5 minutes! I was alone that day so I put an Orange Roughy filet on the grill along with some fresh snap peas, seasoned the fish with cajun seasoning and the beans with a fresh ground garlic/sea salt blend, closed the lid and Voila! Everything was done in about 5 minutes!
Today, I grilled an entire family pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. The grill can be opened up for more space, but I prefer to use it as a panini grill and do all my fish, chicken and turkey burgers that way, even if I have to do a couple of batches because it's faster and the meat stays more moist.

What else you ask? Well, my boys love to make zucchini pepperoni grillers. They also make their own panini sandwiches, homemade healthy egg 'mcmuffins', grilled cheese sandwiches (don't have to butter the bread!), burritos. It's also a snap to make garlic toast. Put thick slices of whole wheat french bread on the griddler, spread with a little olive oil and garlic/salt. Close lid and by the time you get the rest of the food on the table, the toast is ready!

If I could recommend one appliance for healthier eating, this would be it! No excuses now. A grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast takes 5 minutes. Pair that with a salad and supper is done in less time than it takes to decide what to get in the drive-through.

Anne

Why Dragon Beans?

2009-09-06T12:11:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog! I have several places where I've posted tips on cooking, gardening, quilting, cleaning..and I decided to try and compile them into one eclectic blog. I do have a blog specifically related to quilting arts, which I was deeply into for many years. I still am, just don't have as much time to devote to that right now. And I have a blog devoted to being a Beachbody Coach. This blog is for everything else but specifically reviews, tips, recipes and fun.

So why Dragon Beans? It comes from a bean I've grown in my garden, Dragon's Tongue Beans, but we've shortened it to Dragon Beans. I was out in my garden picking the beans and thinking about this blog idea..of compiling all the random posts I've created in various forums all over web-land and I was trying to think of a title and Dragon Beans kept coming to my mind. So that little mystery is over. You can now take your Sunday afternoon nap in peace!

Anne

By the way...Dragon's Tongue Beans are worth growing. They cook up tender even if you forget and let them get more mature. And it's hard to describe, but they almost taste buttery. They are also an heirloom variety and more importantly have a neat name, 2 features that always lure me into trying it in my garden.