orange is the new fit

I really appreciate paleo cooking and baking.  I do it ALOT.  When you eat clean, you tend to lean toward paleo type dishes just because your trying to stick to as many “real” foods as possible.  I did the strict paleo thing for years, but now I am a flexible eater and allow myself to have oats and dairy in moderation.  My problem sometimes with paleo dishes and baking, as I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, is that they can be severely lopsided when it comes to carbs, fats and protein.  For my personal goals and my personal diet, I need to keep my fat intake in check.  I allow myself about 61 grams of fat per day, give or take a few grams.  I don’t do it intentionally, but my lunches and dinners tend to be very low in the fat category.  Unless I’ve planned to use a lot of avocado, cheese, oils, or fattier cuts of meat, my cooking simply ends up low fat.  Believe me, I LOVE fats, I just prefer them in snack foods I guess.  Nut butters go good on EVERYTHING…rice cakes, apples, even on top of a chocolate quest bar 🙂  One of my favorite snacks of all time is carrot sticks and sunbutter.  Try it! Continue reading →

I feel bad that I haven’t posted a recipe in a few weeks!  For some reason, life has been so busy.  Actually, I know the reason.  Between my new gym gig, personally coaching clients, nutrition consulting, training for two upcoming crossfit competitions (and I signed up for my first 5K race haha) AND raising my fast-growing almost two year old, I’m finding little time to actually sit down and share my latest food ideas with you all!  I apologize for that!  I’ve got a really great chili recipe coming next week so stay tuned…

One of my gym members requested a pumpkin recipe and I had just the other day experimented with creating a macro-friendly pumpkin “cookie” that was very conservative in each category of macros.  “Real life” treats obviously are on the sweet side so it can make it hard to fit them in my macros without totally depleting my carb grams.  That kind of splurge takes some planning ahead.  When it comes to “clean” baking, depending on your choice of grain-free flour alternatives, you can easily be in the same boat with the carbs, OR you can skyrocket your fat using a nut based meal/flour.  So, I set out to create a pumpkin treat that was pretty even across all three macro groups, and I was pretty successful! Continue reading →

Even though we’re still grilling up a storm in my household, I am starting to crave some of those familiar fall flavors that often come with some heavy ingredients.  I’m always looking to maximize the amount of food I get to eat in a day, which means, for the most part, sticking to pretty clean options.  Flexible eating allows a person to indulge here and there in foods that are not necessarily “healthy” without the guilt of their entire diet being thrown off.  As long as you stay within your allotted macros, then all is good.  BUT, the kicker with these types of foods is that a small portion can potentially use up so many macros.  So the question then becomes, are all of those macros and calories worth four bites of food?  To me, it usually isn’t.  And that’s why I’m always looking to create satisfying substitutions for some of my favorite non-macro friendly foods!

The other night at my husband’s and my anniversary dinner, there was a braised brisket and risotto dish that sounded so good.  I wasn’t necessarily staying strict to my macro numbers that night because it was a special occasion and I am in a place with my fitness and health that I don’t feel guilty falling off my routine here and there anymore because I know I can easily get back on track with my flexible eating program without any real setbacks.  Regardless, as much as I LOVE risotto (I’m Italian, those cravings don’t ever go away), I’m not used to eating such rich foods and figured I might feel overly full and not have room for the dessert I really wanted 🙂  So I opted for a perfectly cooked bone-in half chicken with broccolini and crispy polenta.  It was the perfect balance of indulgence for me.  The chicken was to die for.  The broccolini sautéed so nicely.  And, there was just enough crispy polenta to let me feel like I indulged in something “unhealthy” without going overboard. Continue reading →