Debbie Downer or Secretly Glad She Came?

Debbie Downer or Secretly Glad She Came?

I have a vivid memory of a time when people were glad I came!  I was 21 and it was the morning after a really great night out.  A friend of mine had a slew of friends in from college and they were all crashing at his parents' place.  He had an awesome backyard, perfect for whiffle-ball and swimming, the perfect morning after cure.  But growing up in Huntington, there is another component to the morning after remedy . . . Bay Deli egg sandwiches.

As I showed up with a bag from Bay Deli, I felt like a rock star.  I was the hero of the morning.  All were outwardly glad that I came!  As I dove into my egg sandwich, I looked around the yard and realized that I was the only girl eating an egg sandwich.  When I had a moment to digest this, I was confused and judgmental (and completely over-thought the situation . . . shocker).  Did these girls not get the memo about visiting Huntington?  An egg sandwich from Bay Deli is a part of the experience.  Did they really watch EVERYTHING they put in their mouths?  I thought they were from another planet.  And they were probably looking at me thinking: “Does she not realize she will never loose the bloated look if she keeps that up?”

Alas, here I am 16 years later and . . . I have become one of them (although still addicted to Bay Deli egg sandwiches . . . everything in moderation)  This past weekend we were tailgating at West Point (Whoo-hoo! Go ARMY) and though I felt like a rock star for showing my true colors, there is a piece of me that felt a bit like Debbie Downer.  Popcorn, carrot and celery sticks, almond trail-mix, oatmeal/almond cookies with chia seeds, apples, and avocado deviled eggs were my contribution to the day.  We picked up bagels on our way and Terry was on Bloody Mary detail. 

                                                                

So why the commitment to health and wellness even at a Saturday tailgate?  Because it makes me feel good.  A tailgate lasts all day.  We arrived at 11:30 and did not leave until 4:30 . . . standing around, chatting, and picking.  The kids were running around, screaming, and picking.  When all was said and done, I just wanted to pick on some healthy snacks and I didn’t want a food hangover.  I was being true to myself at the expense of being “that girl.”  Am I a Debbie Downer for bringing healthy snacks to a tailgate or were folks secretly glad I came?  Would love to hear your thoughts!

Avocado Deviled Eggs

Hard boil 6 eggs.

Rinse eggs with cold water and let them cool.

Peel eggs and gently cut in half.

In a separate bowl place the following ingredients:  gently scoop out the yolks of the eggs, 1 avocado, the juice of 1 lime, 2 teaspoons of lemon pepper, 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise.

Mix well and gently fill the egg whites with the mixture.  Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and your favorite  hot sauce.

                                                                            

Oatmeal/Almond Cookies

Ingredients:  Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour, Rolled Oats (Bob’s Red Mill makes Gluten Free), Vanilla Extract, 1 Stick of Butter, Maple Syrup, Coconut Sugar, Chia Seeds, Flax Seed Meal

NOTE:  Let butter soften – if you forget like I did, throw it on the stove for a few minutes to soften.

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl mix:

2 ½ cups of almond flour

2 cups of rolled oats

1 stick of softened butter

3 tablespoons of chia seeds

3 tablespoons of flaxseed meal

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/3 cup of maple syrup

1/3 cup of coconut sugar

*If you don’t want to buy coconut sugar you can use 2/3 maple syrup

Stir well until all the butter has been evenly mixed in.

Use a teaspoon to place dough on cookie sheet.  Flatten the cookies slightly by patting them down gently with the spoon or your finger-tips.

Place in the oven 12-15 minutes or until cookies start to golden on top.  When you pull the cookies out of the oven YOU MUST LET THEM COOL ON THE COOKIE SHEET FOR AT LEAST 10 MINUTES!  If not they will crumble.

Happy tailgating!  More importantly, happy true color expressing!

Love deeply and eat mindfully,

Kim Gilroy - kimgilroyinsideout

The Lion Has Dominated!

                                                                     
March.  The girls are learning about lion and lamb days in school.  This morning when we looked out our kitchen window we all agreed that it was a lamb day.  Then, I opened up the glass slider and noticed like yesterday and the day before that, it is freezing!

By the time March comes the natural rhythms of my body want to start eating lighter.  But my core is still chilled.  I have been making a lot of cleansing soups to try and start my bodies spring cleaning.  The warmth of the soup and the simplicity of clean ingredients has been the perfect end to a lingering winter.  For those lion days here is a warm cleansing soup!

Winter Cleanse Soup

Put the following ingredients in a large pot. 

½ head of cabbage sliced into small pieces

1 head of kale rinsed and sliced into small pieces

1 Parsnip

6 carrots peeled and cut into small round pieces

1 bunch of celery rinsed and cut into small pieces

1 medium onion pealed and cut into small pieces

3 leeks rinsed and chopped into small pieces (green and white part)

4 cloves of garlic

½ cup of fresh parsley rinsed and minced

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 box of low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

6 cups of water

¼ teaspoon of salt

¼ teaspoon of pepper

½ teaspoon of dried rosemary

Place the pot on the stove with the heat on medium.  When the soup comes to a boil, bring the heat down to a simmer.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  If desired, 10-15 minutes before cooking is complete add 2 cans of Great Northern Beans (make sure you rinse beans well).

Note:  This soup is under seasoned. This is for cleansing purposes and for readers who have salt restrictions. 

For other members of your family who are not looking for a cleansing meal, serve with chicken or chicken sausage.  For kids who might have a hard time with seeing all the vegetables (like mine), puree and add Parmesan cheese.

Stay warm!

Love deeply and eat mindfully,

Kim Gilroy - kimgilroyinsideout 

Loving Life As a Lemon

Loving Life As a Lemon

When you get a car that is a “lemon” you drive around in a car that isn’t broken but not quite what you expected it to be.  A bunch of little things in and about the car, although functioning, are making you nuts!  At times, this is the exact way I have felt about my body and brain, but thanks to food, exercise and spirituality, I have learned how to repair it properly.

I remember the day I got my first heart palpitation.  I was six and doing gymnastics.  I felt my heart pounding and it was a little hard to breathe.  The second one was during a soccer game.  Luckily (or perhaps not luckily) my Mom used to get them so she knew how to help me stop them and knew to take me to a doctor so I could learn how to manage them. 

These little arrhythmias are not problematic to my health, but they affect me in the moment.  If I don’t sit down to get my heartbeat back to its normal rhythm, I get short of breath and start to see purple dots.  They really sound worse than they are (I have had my heart checked several times).  However, as an energetic, athletic person, they really can be frustrating.  I usually have to stop whatever activity I am doing and get my heart back in rhythm while trying to explain to people that I am really ok.  I remember the first time I got one in front of Terry and I had to explain to him what it was and assure that I was ok.  When it stopped, his exact words were “Uh, you mean you’re a lemon!”

 I mentioned above that my brain had something to do with my lemon qualities as well.  Ah yes, “My brain.” I remember looking around the room in kindergarten thinking, “I am supposed to be following along with something, aren’t I?”  I kid you not!  I was an enigma to my teachers:  “She is so bright but . . . .”  My husband and Mom hate when I say this, but the truth is, I was socially promoted through school!  Thank goodness for tape recorders, note cards, and a little work ethic.  In college when I was having my “I’m supposed to be following along moments,” I had everything on tape. 

My brain certainly has a list of other issues, but let’s save those for another blog.  For now, here is a quick list of my other little lemon qualities:  severe cramping and moodiness for the first 48 hours of my menstrual cycle (my husband may give you another figure about the moodiness); difficulty getting a handle on my energy levels . . .  I am either tired or wired; sensitive skin; lower back pain, and tennis elbow. I am also a chronic over-thinker and a bit frenetic and hypersensitive.  

I love being a lemon!  Every day, month and year I draw closer to beating my lemon qualities.  It has become a “healthy” competition that I have with myself: a tennis match without a palpitation, a menstrual cycle without cramps, eating a meal without feeling tired, having a conversation without overthinking.  And to be clear, I am winning.   As a kid, I was always sick.  In my twenties, my brain got in the way.  And now in my thirties, I troubleshoot my lemon episodes with love, food, exercise and spirituality.  And it’s working!

Thank you God for making me who I am.  I truly believe that my little lemons have guided me to the path that I am on today.  Helping others and myself be as strong and healthy as we can be through food, exercise, spirituality, and lifestyle.   Food can heal life’s little (and sometimes big) lemons.  Join me on the journey by starting with this delicious “Fish Taco” recipe!  Enjoy.

Fish Tacos

Ingredients:  4 medium cuts or 3 large cuts of a white thin flaky fish of your choice.  I prefer a local soul or flounder (ask the person at the counter to do a once over on the bones for you to make sure they are all out).  1 lime, 1 orange, bread crumbs, olive oil, salt, pepper, 2 avocados, ½ red onion, 8-10 cherry tomatoes (or to your liking), cilantro, tortilla wraps of your choice (for the healthiest option choose Ezekiel – Food For Life wraps).

Tools:  Large baking pan, knife, a zest utensil, fork, spoon.

Steps to action!

1.)   Pre-heat oven to 350, rinse fish, place in baking pan and double-check for small bones.

2.)   Cut lime in half and squeeze generously over fish.  Remove any pits that may have squirted out.

3.)   Evenly disperse a small pinch of salt onto each piece of fish.  Add pepper to your liking onto each piece as well.

4.)   Lightly cover each piece of fish with breadcrumbs

5.)   Cut one small section of the orange and squeeze generously over fish and zest the rest of the orange making sure to evenly disperse zest onto each piece.

6.)   Evenly drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the fish.

7.)   Place in the oven uncovered for 15 minutes.  If you are not serving right away, cover with tinfoil as soon as you remove from the oven (be careful when covering as the pan will be very hot).

8.)   When ready to serve slice the fish into strips about 2-3 inches long and about ½ inch across.

  

Guacamole

1.)   Slice open two avocados, remove pit, spoon out avocado from shell into a medium size bowl, and with a fork soften and mix to preferred consistency.

2.)   Slice ½ of a red onion into small pieces and mix into avocado.

3.)   Rinse a handful of cilantro, dry off and chop into small pieces removing the stems and mix in with avocado.

4.)   Rinse tomatoes, cut into fourths and add to avocado.

5.)   Peel the remainder of the orange, cut into small piece.  Be sure to remove pits and stir gently into the avocado.

6.)   Cut one small sliver of lime and squeeze into the avocado.

7.)   Add a pinch of slat and pepper to liking and mix.

Serve with soft tortillas.  For your healthiest option use Ezekiel food for life wraps found in the frozen food section of your local health food store.

Serves 4

Love deeply and eat mindfully,

Kim Gilroy