Month: June 2012

Adventure Race!

Posted on by bodyofsunshine

Hello friends!
Well this weekend the rubber hits the dirt so to speak and I will be competing in my first ever adventure race!
We don’t know exactly how the race will work or what order we will be doing the events in. All we know is what gear to bring and where to meet to get instructions. From there we will have to go to different “check points” by using a map and compass (insert boyfriends manly skills here)!

What we DO know is that we need to plan on the following:
Mountain Biking 45-55 miles
Trail Running/Trekking 15-17 miles
Kayaking 5 miles
Carring the Kayak 1+ miles
Rock climbing challenge
The race will take 12 hours

In the beginning my concern was obviously the number of miles we will be traveling. But now my main concern is the heat. The high on Saturday is going to be 95 degrees and we will be racing from 9am-9pm. So running might turn into walking, which is fine. My goal is to not keel over in the heat!
The good news is, I know I have two of the best team-mates anyone could ever have! I am doing this race with my boyfriend and our friend Jeff. They are well versed in this kind of thing and I know they will take good care of me if things get rough. Jeff wants to bring an IV even, just in case… New goal: to not require an IV from Jeff. Who brings an IV to a race you might be asking. Jeff. Jeff will.

I will be sure to let you know how this thing goes, although it might be a few days before you hear from me. And if you never hear from me, well, then you will know adventure racing wasn’t for me. I’m kidding Mom! 🙂

As far as food and hydration go, we are bringing LOTS of high quality H2O, gatorade, GU, Laura Balls and Almond Butter & Agave Nectar Sandwiches made on Ezekiel Bread.

Think of me on Saturday and send me your good vibes, I will need it!

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Carrot Butter Pâté

Posted on by bodyofsunshine

My friend Lauren makes this pate and I go absolutely nuts over it! I find myself thinking about it at all hours of the day and imagining different foods I could slather it on…and also wondering if it would be so bad if I just ate it straight out of the bowl with my fingers. It’s just carrots after all!

The story behind it is, she had it at a local vegan restaurant here in Salt Lake, found out what was in it, then researched the amount of each ingredient to come up with this proprietary blend of goodness! She is a genius!

The only thing I modified was the oil. The real recipe calls for 1/2 cup of canola oil. I used 1/4 cup of canola and 1/4 cup of hemp oil because hemp oil is very high in Omega oils. I think this altered the taste some, but not in a bad way. I have not tried olive oil but I suspect the flavor of olive oil would be a bit too intense.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds baby carrots
3/4 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 cup canola oil ( or experiment with your own)
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

First, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the baby carrots and boil until a fork is easily inserted (20-30 minutes). Allow carrots to cool slightly before moving to the next step.
Add carrots and remaining ingredients to a food processor and purée until smooth, scraping the sides down several times.

Refrigerate until very cold before eating.

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Look at this cute little spread Lauren set out! She is the best 🙂

Tour of my Home!

Posted on by bodyofsunshine

I have always loved the Parade of Homes. And model homes. And MTV Cribs back in the day. And just about anything on HGTV! It’s just so fun getting to look inside people’s homes! Admittedly, my home is nowhere NEAR anything you would see on TV, but I figure if you are anything like me, you would like to have a look anyway!

So let’s start my little home tour.

First of all, I live in a Townhouse, which is awesome because it gives me the convenience of an attached 2 car garage, but NO YARD WORK!

I don’t have an actual yard, just a small courtyard, but I still have a micro garden! I am currently growing 3 very small cucumbers, lettuce, spinach, basil and kale.

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When you walk in the front door you head right upstairs and into the main living area & kitchen.

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I am not into decorating at all, but I do have a love for all things black and tan. Case in point:

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What a ridiculous creature!

This is the other side of that wall. My dad built both of these pieces and they are hands down the nicest things in my house.

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The living area is open to the kitchen, my favorite room in the house. This kitchen was probably the main reason I chose this home.

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I like it a lot!

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Inside the kitchen there is a huge pantry which I think is a Utah thing. We loooove our big pantry’s in Utah!

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My pantry has surprisingly little food in it. As you can see I have many kitchen electrics and many spices. The only food items I really have are canned beans, quinoa, wild rice and amaranth. The rest is all fresh produce in the fridge.

There is also a 1/2 bath in the kitchen which is very convenient.

Now let’s head up another flight of stairs, that’s right, we are getting our workout in. 🙂

This is the guest bedroom.

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And guest bathroom. I apologize for the lighting here.

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I absolutely adore washing machines. It’s like a sickness. I think after having to use laundromats for so long, being able to do laundry in my home will forever feel like a luxury. No more lugging loads of laundry through snow! Here they are in action even!

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I love them. If they were bright pink I would love them more! Do you think pinterest has directions on how to paint appliances? Probably.

Last on the tour is the master bedroom (my bedroom).

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I’m pretty simple. I just went for all white. The curtains came from Target for about $20, the duvet cover is from Pottery Barn.

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There is a big closet in there too but I didn’t take a picture. I’ll just tell you it’s very organized and color coded. I have all my workout (work clothes for me) clothes hanging up and I own about 4 pairs of jeans.

My bathroom.

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That’s it! You have seen it all! Thanks for stopping by!

Mint Chip Smoothie

Posted on by bodyofsunshine

New smoothie recipe alert!

This is a summer time favorite of mine because my boss grows mint and brings it to me so I can make this smoothie!

There are two great things about this smoothie:
1. It looks like mint chip ice cream. So even though it’s green from kale your brain still associates it with mint ice cream, which is green as well.
2. It really kind of tastes like mint chip ice cream…or maybe its been a while since I actually had real ice cream…

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Ingredients:
2-3 handfuls/branches of kale, leaves only
3 dates, pitted
1 frozen banana
1 cup almond milk or other kind of milk
Mint leaves to taste (about 1/4 cup)
Ice
1 tablespoon cacao nibs

In a blender, blend all ingredients except the cacao nibs. Once the drink is puréed, add the nibs and pulse just enough to stir the nibs around.

Enjoy!

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CRUSH Challenge Week 6

Posted on by bodyofsunshine

Hello CRUSHers!

This is your last week of camp, then if you like, you can sign up for the next round which begins July 9.

Your challenge this week is simple: Eat like a champ.

I believe we all know exactly what we should and shouldn’t be putting in our bodies. We know when we are being naughty, but for some reason we do it anyway. We think, I know I shouldn’t do this, BUT…

We don’t need anyone to tell us what we should or shouldn’t be eating. If something is going to make you feel sick, don’t eat it. It’s as simple as that.

So this week, eat like a champ. Eat foods that make you feel great and give you tons of energy.

Summer is here. Go get ’em champ!!!

Summer Veggie and Hummus Wrap

Posted on by bodyofsunshine

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I think I can thank the 100 degree temperature outside for inspiring today’s creation! This summer heat is making me crave fresh, cold vegetables.

I should warn you though…this wrap is pretty hard core.

But please don’t get scared and leave now! It’s actually really good and really filling and you will feel like a fitness super-model after eating it!

I used to be really afraid of eating sprouts for some reason, I don’t know why because they are really harmless, especially when they are all stirred up into this creamy hummus concoction. Plus, sprouts will be the least of your concerns once you are staring down a leafy green the size of a plate…

I triple dog dare you to eat this…ooh now you have to!

Oh, and I should also say, this makes quite a lot of food. I make a big batch of whatever I’m making and that is what I eat for lunch all week. I pack my food with me to work every single day and that keeps me on track and saves me tons of money! I know that sounds either boring, torturous, or brilliant to people. This recipe makes enough to feed a small army, or me for a week. If you want to make less, use the same ingredients, just less of everything.

Ingredients:
1 full recipe hummus, with an extra 1/4 teaspoon paprika added
1.5 cups cooked grain such as brown rice, spelt berries or quinoa. I used spelt berries.
1 large or 2 small cucumbers, sliced long ways into quarters then sliced thin
2 carrots, shredded
1/2 red onion, chopped
1-2 handfuls alfalfa sprouts
1 bunch collard greens or tortillas if you are scared of greens, I understand
ripe avocado, sliced thin, add to taste

A food processor really earns its keep here because it chops, slices and shreds.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the avocado and collard greens.

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Start with a leaf of collard green.

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Spoon some filling on to the leaf and top with sliced avocado. Eat as much as you want!

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Roll it up like a burrito and serve with baked sweet potato fries.

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If you would rather have it on a tortilla, I really like Ezekiel tortillas.

Workout of the Week

Posted on by bodyofsunshine

Hi Everyone!
My IT department is on vacation this week but I still managed to make a video, it’s kind of a miracle! I’m really proud of myself! I don’t know how to add fancy titles though so you just get me talking, ha!

Equipment needed:
Interval timer or watch
Resistance Band
Place to run around
Chair/bench/step for doing dips

Part 1:
Set your interval timer for 12 rounds of 10 seconds & 10 seconds. You will do each move for 10 seconds, back to back. The 2 pushups won’t quite take 10 seconds so just rest for a second before beginning high knees.
-High Knees x 10 seconds
-2 Commando Pushups

Part 2:Tabata Intervals
Set your interval timer for 8 rounds of 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest. Perform all 8 rounds of each exercise then move immediately to 8 rounds of the next exercise until you have done them all. Go as hard as you can!
-Bicep curls
-Military press
-Reverse flye’s
-Seated rows

Part 3: Cardio
-Power skip for 3 minutes, do 1 minute of dips
-Run for 3 minutes, do 1 minute of dips
-Shuffle/gallop for 3 minutes, do 1 minute of dips
-Skip for 3 minutes, do 1 minute of V-Ups
-Run for 3 minutes, do 30 reps of Diagonal V-Ups on each side

Done!

Body of Sunshine Pizza

Posted on by bodyofsunshine

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Making pizza from scratch is truly rewarding and delicious…and time consuming. I save pizza making for special occasions and I really have to plan ahead because making pizza dough from scratch is no joke.
You could however save yourself a bunch of time and buy some pre-made pizza dough or even a pre-made pizza crust! But I get so much enjoyment out of eating that yummy crust and knowing, I made that. For some reason I get very nervous when making a yeast bread, but you shouldn’t be scared. It’s easy and fun, I promise!

Of course you know you can put whatever you want on your pizza. This is what I put on mine and it has always been a big hit!

The good news is, this dough recipe will give you enough dough for two pizzas! So if you can’t decide what to put on your pizza, you can experiment and make two kinds!

Pizza dough ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (or more all purpose)
1 cup warm water, not hot
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 (1/4 oz) packet active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil plus about 2 teaspoons for the rising bowl
A little corn meal for the pan

Pizza toppings
1/2 recipe pesto
1/2 recipe tempeh sausage crumbles
1/2 red onion sliced into thin moons
1/2 can artichoke hearts
Rice cheese to taste (optional)

How to make pizza dough.
Step 1: put warm water in a measuring cup. Dissolve the sugar in the water, then add the yeast. Make sure the yeast is wet then leave it alone for about 10 minutes. Assemble your other crust crust ingredients and when you come back to the yeast it should be foamy. That means your yeast is ready to go!
Step 2: in a mixing bowl combine the flour, salt, olive oil and yeast water. Stir until its all combined, it will get sticky quickly. Clean a space on your countertop and lightly flour the counter. Move the dough to the countertop and begin kneading. Knead for about 10 minutes or until the dough is no longer dry or sticky. Put about 2 tsp olive oil in a very large mixing bowl and place the dough ball in the bowl, swirling it around so it has oil all over it to prevent sticking. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, place it in a warm area and leave it alone for an hour. Here is a tip from my grandma: If it is winter and you don’t have a warm spot in your house, turn your oven on for a few minutes, just so it gets a little warm. Then turn the oven off and put the dough in there to rise.
Step 3: when you return to the dough after an hour it should have risen! Uncover the bowl and punch the dough! Return the dough to the clean, floured countertop and knead again for a few minutes, just until the dough is no longer spongy. Return the dough back to the bowl, cover and put it back in its warm spot for 1-2 hours.
Step 4: when you are ready to make some pizza, place the dough back on the counter and knead it one more time. Now, cut the dough into 2 equal sized pieces. Set one half aside. Using a rolling pin, start rolling the dough into a circle (or rectangle or other “rustic” shape!). It should get about 12″ in diameter. Lightly dust a baking sheet or pizza stone with cornmeal. Place the crust on the prepared sheet. Repeat for crust number 2.

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Now to start topping them!

Spread some pesto on.
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Sprinkle the sausage crumbles on and top with onion and artichoke hearts and cheese as desired.
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Bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes until the crust is lightly browned.

Wild Rice & Yams in Sage “Butter”

Posted on by bodyofsunshine

I just got Brendan Brazier’s new cookbook, Thrive Foods and after just flipping through it once I probably marked 20 recipes I want to make! So I will probably be posting a lot of recipes out of this book.
This is the first recipe I tried and I modified it slightly, of course. Brendan said it was one of his top five favorite recipes so I figured this would be a good place to start! I was skeptical about the Sage Butter, but WOW, it is so good. I bought fresh sage as opposed to using dried and I am so glad I did. It was well worth it.

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked wild rice (or brown rice, or a mixture of the two. Whatever you have!)
2 pounds jewel yams (about 2 big yams) peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch dice
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 .25 oz package fresh sage
1 shallot
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel and chop the yams. Place chopped yams on a baking sheet and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Use your hands to coat the yams in oil so they won’t stick to the pan.
Bake for 20 minutes, then using a spatula, flip/stir the yams and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until the yams are starting to brown.

While the yams bake, prepare the sage butter. In a small food processor combine the sage, shallot, garlic, salt and about 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Purée until smooth.

In a large frying pan, over low heat, add the sage butter to the pan and heat for about a minute. Add the cooked rice and stir. When yams are done cooking, fold them in.

Now, according to Brendan this would have made 8 servings, but I dished it up for my lunches and it made 3 days worth of lunch for me. Obviously he intended it as a side dish, not a main course!

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Mmmm…yams (aka what sweet potato fries are made out of)

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Sage butter. I had to stop myself from just dipping the yams in this and eating it all!

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The final product. DELICIOUS!

Southwest Quinoa Salad

Posted on by bodyofsunshine

I absolutely LOVE salad from Chipotle. I get mine with brown rice, black beans, the corn salsa and lots of guacamole, YUM!
I started making my own version of this salad, first by making a cilantro lime quinoa, then my own corn salsa. But after making my salad and stirring it up I realized there was no need for all these separate steps-it can all go in one bowl! Bam!

Here is my take on Chipotle salad.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked & cooled quinoa
1 can black beans
1 10 oz can white corn (or yellow corn)
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup diced cilantro (stems and leaves)
1/4 cup lime juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients adding the quinoa and beans last. Stir. Spoon mixture over a bed of mixed greens and top with guacamole.

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