Hey Sweeties . . . it’s the holidays and I am busy busy busy whipping up treats for you for the new year! Not cookies, pies or cakes, no no . . . this mama’s launching a new coaching venture!

Yes, you read that right, I’m takin’ my show on the road – to your house or business. I want to teach you how to eat for health and fat loss, how to prepare delicious foods that’ll boost your health, nutrition and physique, clean out your pantry, work out your body. Is accountability your weakest link? Let’s go high-touch: Hire me to be your coach, your nag, your sherpa through the journey of healthying up your diet and maximizing the efficacy of your workouts. Texts and emails go a long way toward keeping you on track to your goals. I’m never far from my smartphone . . . always at the ready to help you make a plan, guide you through a crisis and help you reach your goals.

While this blog was sleeping, I’ve been studying, working toward my official certifications in personal training and nutrition, and soft-launching my business. Current clients are seeing RESULTS. Weight lost, confidence gained, lessons learned, permanent lifestyle changes are being MADE. Listen to what they’re saying:

“No more self-sabotage!”

“My cravings have diminished . . . .”

“The support has been super helpful for me.”

“Who knew that one simple tip could be a complete game-changer for me.”

“I always think it’ll be so awkward if I don’t partake in all things delish, but in reality, it’s all about the company.”

“You have seriously been the difference maker . . . this is the most weight I’ve lost.”

This could be you! Why not get in touch and let me help you move the ball forward in 2014?

I’m taking on a limited number of clients, will one of them be YOU? Drop me a line at sarah at semisweetonline dot com and let’s make magic happen for you!

© 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

Print This!

When you’re eating a lot of lean protein, keeping things interesting is a challenge. Since becoming the chicken breast whisperer, I’ve been on a quest to liven things up, without salt. Sometimes, it’s hard to stay inspired and interested.

Enter this spice blend – you can sprinkle a bit on your chicken breasts before searing, sprinkle a little over your ground turkey breast and onions . . . it’s great with ground lamb, beef, or even a new-to-me fav, buffalo (try making meatballs, or kofta). Think garlic, olive oil, onions and this . . . serve over rice with veg on the side and you have a quick and easy Middle Eastern meal.

I browned up a pound of ground turkey breast, added chopped onion and about a tablespoon of this blend . . . voila! A tasty lean protein source to have on hand for easy meals and snacks. 3-4 oz. of this and a non-starchy vegetable side will keep you full and satisfied for a few hours. Try this ground turkey mix atop mixed lettuces, add a chopped orange and a drizzle of pomegranate vinegar for a super-healthy, protein-packed meal (salads, not just for lunch or dinner anymore!).

Who said eating like a bodybuilder has to be boring?

© 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

Print This!

All this talk about metabolism and my new paradigm has lead more than a few of you to ask, “so . . . what ARE you eating, anyway?” Short answer is: a lot of lean protein and non-starchy vegetables. Like at most every meal. I’ve found over the last few months that getting about 1 gram of protein per pound of body-weight sets me up for feeling satisfied most of the time. Fill that out with lots of fiber from non-starchy vegetables (like leafy greens, cruciferous veg like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, etc.) and my guess is you’ll feel pretty satiated too. You can add some fat if you like (coconut oil has made its way into my life – I love the stuff), which definitely ups the satiety of your foods, but be careful if you’re going for fat loss . . . in that case, I try to keep my total carbohydrate intake to about 100 grams per day and not use much added fat when prepping my food.

What does this translate to? For me, whether I’m being looser with my carb and fat intake, or looking for maximal fat loss, 5 mini-meals seem to do the trick. If I’m eating every 2-3 hours, I know the next feeding’s not far off – and I’m never starving. Maybe mildly hungry – just getting to the place where I’d go looking for something. But because I plan my meals out in advance and prepare food ahead of time, I know what I’m getting next and it’s easy to pull out and/or prepare. Here’s what a day might look like (note that I have been eating within a 12-hour window, and have been keeping my higher carb meal to my post-workout meal only – this is a restrictive day – otherwise, I’ll eat whatever I want at any given meal):

Meal One (usually around 7 a.m.)

4 oz. lean protein (ground turkey that I’ve browned up with some seasonings and onion and keep in the fridge, part of a chicken baked chicken breast, etc.)

5 oz. (or so) vegetables (most often, steamed broccoli or cauliflower because they’re easy in the microwave)

or sometimes if I’m not very hungry, I’ll have some whey protein powder mixed with some unsweetened vanilla almond milk – I don’t love fasted workouts

Meal Two (usually around 10:00-10:30, post workout)

Vega One smoothie with 8 oz. unsweetened vanilla almond milk, some low-sugar fruit like berries, maybe a few almonds (keeping my nut consumption to 1/4 c. per day – I love nuts, they’re great for you, but they’re not great for fat loss). For a time, I was enjoying hot oat bran cereal mixed with Vega One at this meal, but have discovered that oat bran makes my joints ache . . . .

Meal Three (sometime 12-1 p.m.)

More lean protein and veg. Maybe a giant salad with mixed greens or baby spinach topped with chicken/salmon/tuna/cod fillet and some other chopped non-starchy veg (bell peppers have become a fav again, mushrooms, blanched broccoli, etc.) and drizzled with a flavored vinegar and maybe a little Bragg’s Liquid Aminos. Or else just a steamed veg or two on the side – asparagus is coming into the markets – one of my favorites! I try to keep salt low (so going easy on the Bragg’s, a drizzle of lemon is usually all I do on the steamed veg)

Meal Four (around 4 p.m.)

More lean protein – hard-boiled egg whites sprinkled with some no-salt seasoning blend, maybe 3 or so ounces of chicken breast, maybe almonds if I haven’t had any nuts earlier, maybe some bell pepper spears or celery. This usually coincides with my daughter’s after-school snack and there is a lot going on, so I try to have something that I can pull out and munch.

Meal Five (around 6:30 – again, all food stops at 7 p.m.!)

Again with the lean protein and veg. This is dinnertime for the family, so the challenge here is to make something that everyone can eat at least part of . . . so maybe a chicken/broccoli stir-fry and rice – my daughter will eat some of the chicken and the rice. Depending on how my husband’s feeling, he may or may not have rice with his chicken and broccoli. I will have only chicken and broccoli, and often I’ll add another steamed vegetable on the side. Depending on how strict I’m being, I’ll have a piece of fruit for dessert – citrus is still delicious, a sliced apple mixed with some cinnamon, some sliced strawberries and/or blueberries.

So there you have it. Very restrictive, very lean. For now, there is no dairy here, no legumes, no grains. That’s just what I feel good on and what is helping me lose fat. NOW THIS SAID . . . you probably shouldn’t keep your carb intake super low 100% of the time, because as Metabolic Effect has taught me, it can mess with your metabolism. So cycle lower and higher carbohydrate intake weeks or days – but get those carbs from dairy, fruits, veg, etc. WHOLE FOODS ARE KEY. Processed junk (gluten free pretzels, I’m lookin’ at YOU!) is going to clog up your metabolism and make you feel awful – especially if you’re eating super-clean for any length of time. Ideally, my regular diet is approximately 40-30-30 (protein/carb/fat). I feel good on that, and it keeps my metabolism humming – I feel satisfied, there is room for more variety (unlike the eating plan I outline above), and it allows you to be social (which is tough if you’re eating very little fat and a lot of lean protein!).

The key to any of this is planning and prep. You need to figure out what you want to eat AHEAD OF TIME, and take measures to make that easy for you. Many people, me included, prep a bunch of things on the weekends: hard-cook a dozen or two eggs, brown up 2 lbs. of ground turkey breast, bake off 4 chicken breasts – quantities will depend on how much you eat and who else in your house is eating this way. Buy pre-packaged fresh vegetables that you can throw in a steamer or the microwave or in a bowl with no prep – broccoli florets, pre-washed baby greens, pre-washed spinach. Cut your salad/snack vegetables and store them in the fridge – those bell peppers, chop onions, etc. The more barriers you have set up to getting to this food, the less likely it’s going to happen.

I hope this answers some questions. Remember, I’m NOT a doc or a dietician. YOU need to consult one of them before doing anything radical. You also will need to see how you feel eating these different ways . . . are your cravings gone? Do they come at certain times of the day? The month? Do you feel full enough? And tweak your macros as you go along. Fat is very satisfying and there is a lot of research that says that upping your fat even a bit more is just fine. It can keep you satiated for much longer.

Let me know what you think, what you’re doing, and if you have any more questions!

Image courtesy of  FreeDigitalPhotos.net

© 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

Print This!

So I’m back to posting some recipes here, thanks to EasyRecipe – and you may have noticed the “Save” button in the upper right-hand corner of each recipe. What’s that? That, my friends, is your link to cooking organization and freedom! Click on that button and it’ll take you to Ziplist, a free site that’ll help you save your favorite recipes from around the web (even from PINTEREST, people!) into your own “recipe box,” generate shopping lists based on the recipes you choose to make, and gives you access to money-saving coupons and grocery deals in your area. Wowza. You can even create your grocery list online and then take it with you using their free iPhone & Android mobile apps. And share it, too – so you can send your loved ones to do your grocery-store bidding.

Read all about Ziplist here!

© 2013, Sarah. All rights reserved.

Print This!

Happy Friday, everyone! Here’s a roundup of my most popular pins this week.

This Pina Colada fruit salad recipe would be a great addition to a summer brunch:

Source: tasteofhome.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

Avocado & lime & cantaloupe salad? YES!

 

Source: theppk.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

I have 5,000 lbs. of CSA tomatoes on my counter – this Southeast Asian tomato salad would be a tasty & creative way to showcase them:

 

Source: yumsugar.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

 What about carrots? I have a ton of those, too, from my CSA. This duo of shredded carrot salads (one sweet, one savory) is a treat for the eyes, as well as for the palate!

 

Source: kblog.lunchboxbunch.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

 The addition of corn is an interesting twist on the classic Caprese salad:

 

Source: simplyrecipes.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

 I’d add a can of rinsed & drained pinto beans to this Mexicali raw corn salad with beans & lime to create a light, vegetarian lunchbox item:

 

Source: care2.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

And my most popular workout pin? This rockin’ 5-superset Arms & Abs workout . . . summer’s not over yet, my friends!

 

Source: theleangreenbean.com via Sarah @ on Pinterest

Enjoy!

P.S. Not following me on Pinterest? That’s just wrong. Find me here!

© 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

Print This!

I’ve got a lot of kitchen stuff. Just ask my poor husband who put together a giant Ikea armoire to house extra pie plates, cake pans, cookie cutters, etc. etc. etc. We have a big kitchen with lots of cupboard space, but where to put the 3 (yes, you read that right) waffle irons? The juicer? The panini press? Downstairs.

But what do I actually use on a daily basis? That’s a whole ‘nother story. When push comes to shove, the number of tools I use regularly is pretty small, and I’d argue that you really don’t need too much to have a high-functioning kitchen. I’ve declared a moratorium in fact, on buying new things, and an all-out ban on any one-purpose tool. Here are my top 8 favorites, in no particular order – these are the versions I actually own. If you came into my kitchen right now, you’d see these all here!

Lodge 12″ Cast Iron Skillet: This is probably my number 1 most- used item. It’s for cook-top, for oven (you know I love a good frittata!) and it comes pre-seasoned, so you don’t have to mess with that. What’s more, once you cook with it for a while, it’ll get super-seasoned, such that it’s virtually non-stick. Yes, that’s right. I don’t own any non-stick cookware (Teflon’s evil, in my book) and yet I can prep all the same stuff w/the same lack o’ grease (if I want, remember, some fat is good, and in fact, in some cases, fat helps you absorb the vitamins in your food). I do wash mine with soap and water (this is controversial in the cast iron world) because I don’t want tomorrow’s flapjacks to taste like last night’s curry. But maybe you like curried flapjacks?

Breville Hemisphere Blender: I have a love-love relationship with this thing. I use it at least once a day for my a.m. green smoothie. It’s super-powerful – large chunks of frozen fruit are NO MATCH for this bad boy. It’s mostly glass, so I’m not freaking out about plastics, and it’s easy to clean, too. What’s not to love?

KitchenAid Manual Citrus Juicer: I have this exact one pictured. Got it at Target for $10, I think. It’s orange (I LOVE the color orange) and it’s low-tech and I use it almost every day for juicing fresh lemons, limes and/or oranges. Usually for salad dressing, because as you know, I think it’s a crime to buy the stuff. It’s amazing what a hit of fresh citrus will do for  a dish – this is simple to use and goes in your dishwasher.

Microplane Zester: Speaking of citrus, I use this thing all the time, too. Citrus zest adds great zing to dressings and sauces and adds a bright note to cooked dishes with few, if any, added calories. This is also great for very finely grated cheese – if you want it to melt quickly into your dish, this is the tool for you.

Digital food scale: This is an inexpensive digital food scale, goes up to 5 lbs. and has a tare feature (you can put your plate or bowl on it and then “zero” the scale so you’re then measuring whatever you put in or on that bowl or plate). I use mine all the flippin’ time. Just measured out 7 oz. of cantaloupe this a.m. for my smoothie, in fact. Want to see what 3 oz. of chicken really looks like? This here’s your friend. Whether you’re watching what you eat or not, a digital scale can be a useful kitchen tool – for instance, many serious bakers weigh their ingredients to get more precise measurements . . . this little puppy might help those pastries come out more gorgeous than evah!

Cuisinart: I love this thing. I’ve had mine since 1996. It’s beat up and the white base is yellow-ish. It’s not pretty, but it’s a workhorse and I use it often. I can slice potatoes wafer-thin for holiday gratins, grate a boat-load of cheese in a flash, whip up healthy edamame dips for parties, whirl up big batches of pesto with my CSA basil bounty . . . you can even make bread and pie crusts in this thing. See also: the Mini-Prep by Cuisinart – a mini version of this. Originally purchased to puree foods for baby L., I now use it primarily for chopping nuts and making small amounts of salad dressing.

Chicago Metallic Baking Sheets: Why, oh why do people buy baking sheets coated with non-stick coating? That coating’s toxic, my friends. It has PFOA in it and when you heat it up, it emits a gas that’s not good for you. And if you have pet birds, it’ll kill ‘em. What’s more, it’ll blacken the bottom of your muffin or cookie quicker than a jack-rabbit. Furthermore, most cookies and pastries don’t need to be baked on a greased sheet anyway, ’cause they’re greasy, all on their own. What you want, my friends, is a set of these. They come in lots of different sizes and they’re heavy (heavyweight = even baking) and uncoated and they’ll last you a lifetime. What if you’re feeling the need for non-stick? Zero mess? That’s where aluminum foil and parchment come in. These are worth the investment. I use at least one multiple times per week – from fish sticks to chicken nuggets to cookies to roasting veggies . . . DI uses the big rimmed sheets to prep items to put on the BBQ. Get one, test it. You’ll see.

Pepper Mill: This is my pepper mill. It’s fancy, no? I treated myself to this one, made by Peugeot, a couple of years ago when one D & I’d gotten for our wedding broke. That first pepper mill got me hooked on freshly ground black pepper. Great for adding a certain something to lots of different dishes, and for finishing dishes too. Crack some over salad. Add it to your soups. Lots of bang for zero calories. MUCH better flavor than buying pre-ground pepper. If you want to get really fancy, you can get peppercorn blends for slightly different flavors. And you don’t have to have this Rolls Royce of pepper mills. Target has pepper mills. Walmart does too.

These are just a few of my favorite things . . . as you can see, they’re not all fancy or super high-tech, but they’re multipurpose, sturdy and functional. What’re your top 8 kitchen tools?

{Disclaimer: These reviews are my own, unbiased opinions, and I was not provided with these products to review . . . bought ‘em with my own, cold, hard cash.}

© 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

Print This!

What? How could I not know this? March 26, 2012 is National Spinach Day?? Did you know that my Baby Spinach Salad, 7 Ways is one of the most popular posts of all-time here on Semi-Sweet? Check out scads of other delish spinach recipes right here, right now! Let’s party down, Sweeties.

Spinach is a superfood that’s ridiculously easy to incorporate into your repertoire – whether you like it cooked, raw or both. Baby or mature, it comes pre-washed and pre-bagged for EZ daily use. I “eat” about 4 cups of organic baby spinach every a.m. in my green smoothie . . . what’re your favorite ways to enjoy this lovely leafy?

Never miss a Morsel! Subscribe to Semi-Sweet by email.

© 2012, Sarah. All rights reserved.

Print This!

In yesterday’s post, I told you about the SSI/BCF study re BPA in food, and about the 60% decrease in the body burden the families realized when they stopped using canned goods. It caught your attention, right? You’re concerned, no?

Think about that - sixty percent! Over a lifetime, that could amount to lot less disease. It’s a no-brainer: get BPA out of canned food, get BPA out of people.

So what are America’s top canned food manufacturers doing to get rid of BPA in their products?

The Breast Cancer Fund wants to find out and push these companies to protect our health. Would you be willing to take a minute to ask Campbell Soup Co., Del Monte Foods and General Mills (maker of Progresso, Cascadian Farm and Muir Glen) what they’re doing to get BPA out of their food packaging and out of our bodies? It’s a fill-in form, so easy and can be very effective.

Let’s band together to reduce all Americans’ BPA levels by going straight to the makers of canned foods and asking them to stop using BPA.

© 2011, Sarah. All rights reserved.

Print This!

I’ve been gone from here for a while . . . and some of you have taken notice. “What’s up with you?” come the emails, the questions at school, the texts and phone calls.

It’s all been good, friends. There’s no crisis, no health emergency. My mammo was clear, my cholesterol rocks.

No, it’s this: I’ve been taking some time away to evaluate the blog, my involvement with the blog and what I want to do (or not do) with the blog. I’ve also been committed to my Move Into March challenge and to healthy eating, and I’ve lost the 7 lbs. I gained thanks to my arthritis and my vacation. I have been able, for the first time in 2 years, to exercise standing up. I feel great, I’m enjoying myself. I’ve been reading lots, and prepping very simple, very healthful food.

“So what about RECIPES???” “The well is dry!!!” come other emails . . . I love love love that you all depend on the recipes – that this blog serves you so well! I may try posting once a week or so – try to strike a happy medium for us all, but truthfully, I’m really quite preoccupied with thinking up ways to better integrate my passion for healthy living, my love of food and cooking and face-to-face, real-life connections with people like you.

As Tama Kieves says, “If you feel lost, you’re on your way to the miraculous.” I’ll admit it – I have no idea what’s going on yet.  But hang with me, will you? What’s yet to come might be even better than we all could have imagined!

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

© 2011, Sarah. All rights reserved.

Print This!

© 2011 – 2010, Sarah. All rights reserved.

Print This!