All posts by M. Terry

Stewed Tomatoes and Okra

Scott asked for some okra recently, and when I went to Downtown Produce, they had their grape tomatoes dirt cheap because they were beginning to get soft. So for about $3 bucks, I made a large pot of stewed tomatoes and okra. Not only was it cheap, but it was easy!

Stewed Tomatoes and Okra

  • 2 pints grape tomatoes
  • 20 or so okra pods, sliced and tops removed
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/3 cup chopped onion
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add in okra and tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Uncover, and using a wooden spoon, crush tomatoes open. Recover and stew another 15 minutes. Serve warm.

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by M. Terry on March 19, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on March 19, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/03/19/stewed-tomatoes-and-okra/

Hump Day Slump

Whether it’s the Hump Day slump or that afternoon fizzle you feel, a lack of energy can be combated by exercise.

  • According to experiments conducted by Robert Thayer, PhD, at California State University, a brisk, 10 minute walk, can increase energy levels for up to 2 hours. And when the daily 10-minute walks continued for three weeks, overall energy levels stayed elevated.
  • 58% of women feel more energized after they’ve had a workout according to a health.com poll

Yet another reason to motivate us to add exercise to our daily routine! (Oh yeah, and a cup ‘o joe never hurt either!)

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by M. Terry on March 14, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Fitness, Health and Beauty, Motivation
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Posted by M. Terry on March 14, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/03/14/hump-day-slump/

Black Forest Smoothie

Black Forest Smoothie

Recently I posted my recipe for Cherry Vanilla Granola. Since I have dried cherries in the house now, I had this wunderbar (that’s “wonderful” in German 🙂 ) idea to make a smoothie that incorporated the flavors of a black forest cake. So here is my delicious result:

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1/2 frozen banana
  • 1/4 cup dried tart cherries
  • 1/8 cup raw almonds
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla brown rice protein powder
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Place all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Guten Appetit!

 

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by M. Terry on March 8, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on March 8, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/03/08/black-forest-smoothie/

Staying Motivated Once You Get Motivated

Staying Motivated Once You Get Motivated

Yesterday, I blogged about getting motivated to move. Now here is how to stay motivated once you are indeed moving…

  1. Do Something You Enjoy– Find something you want to do and look forward to doing.
  2. Be Friendly– Find a workout buddy. The accountability will ensure that you stick to your workouts.
  3. Rock Out– A recent study in the Journal of Science and Medicine In Sport showed that triathletes who listened to tunes were able to go almost 20% longer than those who trained without music.
  4. Set Attainable Goals– Make sure your goals are realistic and results will be seen fairly quickly. Shoot for losing weight in small increments. Strive to add a 2 minute run to your existing walk, or add 5 minutes of running to  your established route.
  5. Schedule It – Just like you make a date with your spouse/significant other or a friend, make a date with yourself to complete your workout. Then you can be a better spouse, friend, and parent.
  6. Support A Cause– The youth girls and I are participating in Pregnancy Resources Walk-a-thon on March 17th. (Click and pledge your support!) My friend, Sara, just completed a 5 mile race last weekend for “Be Her Freedom“– a ministry that promotes awareness and is counteracting the human trafficking that exists in our world today. Find a cause, make a commitment to walk, run, bike, or whatever it may be, and exercise for a greater purpose!
  7. Reward Yourself– Buy a new workout outfit, get a massage, or treat yourself to a healthy meal- do something to celebrate your successes!
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by M. Terry on March 7, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on March 7, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/03/07/staying-motivated-once-you-get-motivated/

Motivation to Move

For most people who are looking to begin an exercise program, their main goal is lose weight and look better. While that can be a motivator in and of itself, sometimes the thought of putting forth the energy to get moving is still enough of a deterrent to keep a person on the couch. But the best motivation to get up and moving is when we know just how much exercise benefits us physically and mentally. If you are having trouble beginning and/or maintaining an exercise program, take a look at all that exercise does for the human body. When you approach physical activity with these benefits in mind, they hopefully will be a catalyst to propel you to get up and move.

Regular exercise can:

  • Reduce the risk of developing heart disease
  • Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure
  • Reduce high cholesterol or the risk of developing high cholesterol
  • Reduce the risk of developing various cancers
  • Reduce the risk of developing diabetes or help control existing diabetes
  • Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints
  • Improve mental well-being by reducing stress, depression and anxiety
  • Enhanced performance in work and recreation
  • Maintain and improve sleep patterns

Exercise is a gift you give your body. Your body was designed to work and move, and once you get in the habit of working out, your body will miss those occasionally skipped sweat sessions and you will notice the difference in the way you feel.

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by M. Terry on March 6, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on March 6, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/03/06/motivation-to-move/

Chocolate Chip Butternut Squash Muffins

Chocolate Chip Butternut Squash Muffins

When I picked up our organic produce box a couple of weeks ago, it had a large butternut squash in it. I sliced it in half lengthwise, placed it flesh side down on a sprayed cookie sheet, and roasted it at 350 for about 30 minutes. After cooling, I scraped out the inside and had about 3 cups of cooked squash. Knowing that butternut squash has a sweetness to it, I decided to sneak it into muffins and came up with what my six-year-old deemed as “maybe the best muffin I’ve ever had!”

Butternut squash is packed full of vitamin A (for eye and skin health) and vitamin C (for wound healing and gum health). It is is an excellent source of potassium (for muscle development and cellular function) and fiber (for digestion and weight management). I would venture to say that frozen squash would work just as well too. If you try it, let me know how it turns out.

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup chickpea flour
1/2 Cup brown rice flour
1/3 Cup Uncooked, Regular Oats
2 teaspoons flaxseed, ground
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
¼ teaspoon Salt
1 cup cooked butternut squash
4 Tablespoons Apple Juice Concentrate, thawed
2 Tablespoons organic sugar
2 Tablespoons Pure Maple Syrup
2 Eggs, beaten
1/4 Cup extra virgin coconut oil or extra light olive oil
1 t Vanilla
1/3 cup Dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line or grease 1 dozen muffin tins. Combine the dry ingredients (flour-salt). Mix together remaining ingredients
(squash – vanilla) and then stir into the dry mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill muffin tins about 2/3 of the way full and bake 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool on a cooling rack before enjoying.

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by M. Terry on March 5, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on March 5, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/03/05/chocolate-chip-butternut-squash-muffins/

Plié Squat with Biceps Curl

Plié Squat with Biceps Curl

This 2-in-1 move targets three main muscles: biceps, adductors (inner thighs), and gluteus maximus. So grab your dumbbells and follow these simple steps to tone and firm…

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointed out at a 45 degree angle. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with arms extended down, palms facing out. Squat down by bending knees 90 degrees (do not let knees go over toes) while you curl weights toward your shoulders. Return back to starting position to complete one rep. Do 15-20 reps to complete one set.

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by M. Terry on February 29, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on February 29, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/02/29/plie-squat-with-biceps-curl/

Mixed Berry Buckwheat Pancakes

Mixed Berry Buckwheat Pancakes

1 1/3 cups Arrowhead Buckwheat pancake mix
1/4 cup oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/3 almond milk + 1 T white vinegar
2 T ground flax
2 tablespoons applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh or frozen ( thawed and drained) mixed berries

Place milk and vinegar together and let set for a few minutes. Add in ground flax. Place pancake mix, oats, and cinnamon in a large bowl and stir. Add in applesauce, vanilla, and milk mixture. Stir until just combined. Gently fold in berries. Cook pancakes on a griddle over medium heat, flipping just once.

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by M. Terry on February 25, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on February 25, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/02/25/mixed-berry-buckwheat-pancakes/

Pineapple Upside Down Cake: Guilt- and Gluten-Free

I made this Pineapple Upside Down cake for our Sunday family dinner.  My stepbrother’s fiance’s mom was in town from Austria and she is gluten-free. So I whipped out my Babycakes Covers the Classics Cookbook and baked up this cinnamony and warm cake.

Since I did not want to spend a fortune on xanthum gum, I used ground flax seed. While that worked for the mini donuts we recently made (because they were small), it didn’t work as well work this full-sized cake. Even though it was more crumbly than I cared for, the taste was the best of any pineapple upside down cake that I’ve ever had!
The other changes I made included:
-Replacing the 1/4 cup of  vanilla and 1/4 cup of hot water (I still added 1 teaspoon of vanilla) with warmed,  reserved juice from the can of pineapple

-Using extra light virgin olive oil since I was out of coconut oil

-Replacing arrowroot with cornstarch

Baking gluten-free foods does require extra ingredients, but I love that it adds a variety of flours and tastes to our diets.

Gluten-Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients

  • ½ cup melted refined coconut oil or canola oil, plus more for brushing the pan
  • ¼ cup vegan sugar
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 6 ½-inch-thick pineapple slices
  • ½ cup garbanzo and fava bean flour
  • ½ cup rice flour
  • ½ cup potato starch
  • ¼ cup arrowroot
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ cup agave nectar
  • 6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
  • ¼ cup vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup hot water

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch cake round with parchment paper and lightly coat with coconut oil.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and the 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle the bottom of the cake pan with the cinnamon-sugar mix. Arrange the pineapple slices over it. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, potato starch, arrowroot, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, cardamom, and baking soda. Add the agave nectar, the ½ cup coconut oil, the applesauce, vanilla, and hot water. Stir with a rubber spatula until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter over the pineapple.

Bake for 20 minutes, rotate, then continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes more. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes. Run a knife along the pan’s edge and invert onto a serving plate.

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by M. Terry on February 22, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on February 22, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/02/22/pineapple-upside-down-cake-guilt-and-gluten-free/

Mardis Gras Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

I LOVE Jambalaya and all the robust flavors that come in every spoonful! I made this over the weekend to accompany my Whole Foods cornbread that I picked up on my trip over on Saturday.

Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya

2 cups brown rice, cooked but al dente

1 pkg Al Fresco Chicken Sausage (or any other all-natural sausage)

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

½ onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large tomato, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

2 bay leaves

2 cups beef broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 Tablespoons olive oil

Fresh parsley

Brown sausage in a large pot over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to pot and cook onion, celery, red pepper, and garlic and cook 5-7 minutes. Add in tomatoes and cook another 3-5 minutes. Add bay leaves, thyme, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. Place sausage and chicken into pot and stir. Add in broth and rice and simmer 20 minutes. Pull out bay leaves. Spoon into bowls, top with fresh parsley, and serve.   

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by M. Terry on February 21, 2012  •  Permalink
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Posted by M. Terry on February 21, 2012

https://wholetothecore.com/2012/02/21/mardis-gras-chicken-and-sausage-jambalaya/

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