It's a Hail Mary

It’s a Hail Mary

In sports, it’s when you take a leap of faith in your skills and the skills of the people around you to give it your one last best effort.  As a Catholic child growing up, it’s what your mom told you to say when you couldn’t fall asleep at night! 

Hail Mary is my go to prayer. It has truly become my meditation.  When I get overwhelmed and cluttered in my thoughts, I say a Hail Mary.  When I am too tired to do a creative prayer with the girls before bed, we pray a Hail Mary.  If I am on a run and forget my i-pod, I say Hail Marys.  If it’s around 4:30 and I can’t hear the word “mom” one more time, I say a Hail Mary (sometimes out loud and the girls just stare at me like I am, well…losing it)!

Praying and meditating is just like eating and working out, you have to find the prayers, meditations and practices that work for you.  Some people find their spirituality in their garden, others on a mountaintop or in the ocean.  I have to say that I find peace and spirituality all over the place.  In yoga studios, through journaling, in church, on hikes, and in good deep conversation are just a few of the places I find my connection with God and the Universe. 

About ten years ago, I was a pretty big Bible thumper and frequented church as often as I could.  I volunteered at the church and for a 26-year-old girl one might say I was abnormally active in my parish.  I remember at one point during this time my brother saying in a general conversation, “Church is for people who are weak.”  I never brought it up with him because it struck a chord.  At that moment in my life, I was weak.  I felt weak.  I felt lost and disconnected.  But I had God and I had prayer.

During that phase of my life I always found time to sit and pray and talk to God.  I would pop in at different churches. I took time out of my day to say the Rosary.  I was strict about Lent.  I prayed for others.  I was a good Catholic.  Now, a shadow of my former self (thanks to God), living the life that I had prayed for all those years, I barely carve out a minute before bedtime to pray.  I am a true on the fly prayer. I am not proud of the prayer I have become.  I do believe that a piece of the health and wellness journey requires a few minutes of uninterrupted prayer and/or meditation. But for now, my on the go prayers to the Blessed Mother give me peace in my moments of daily craziness and I am forever grateful to have Her and The prayer with me. 

Tonight, as the world reflects on the chaos of the past, the loved ones lost, and the troops still fighting, my prayers will not be on the fly.  Tonight with the TV and the computer off, in silence, it’s a Hail Mary.   

Love deeply,

Kim Gilroy  

Get Moving!

Get Moving!

Moving and using our bodies is a crucial part of health and wellness.  I can eat well, sleep great, and be socially, emotionally and spiritually fulfilled, but when I am moving my body and working out on a regular basis…whoo hoo (I want to say something really inspiring, but the reality is when I am working out I am just less crazy)!

As the summer is winding down and you are secretly (or outwardly) getting really excited for structure, routine, sweaters and the beautiful vibrant colors of a northeast fall, get a jump start.  Get inspired and start planning your workout routines now.

Here are a few helpful hints to get you moving:

1.)   Prepare

·      Get the right gear – I am not one for overspending on clothes that I am going to sweat in.  However, I remember the first time I went running in running shorts and a breathable Under Armor shirt.  It was heaven.  I used to make fun of people that needed gear to perform and refused to give up my mesh shorts and oversized cotton tee shirts.  But I have totally converted.  If you are getting into running or walking, buy a pair of good running shoes and running shorts. 

·      Music – Download some new tunes to get you jump started.  Here is a list of some of my personal favorites (and please share yours):

1.) Baba O’Riley – Pearl Jam

2.) Fortunate Son – Pearl Jam

3.) Born Slippy Nuxx – Underworld

4.) All These Things That I’ve Done – Killers

5.) Mr. Brightside - Killers

·      Get a route or set a time – You really need to know what is going to motivate you most or discourage you least.  Whenever I am just getting back into running or walking outside, I never map out a route.  It’s too discouraging.  I will do 15 min. out and 15 min. back.  When I get more comfortable and build up my endurance is when I push myself and start to map out mileage.

2.)   Research

·      Ask around – Ask the friends that look and feel healthy.  I have to say I will be trying a TRX class this fall. I ran into a number of people this summer that loved it and were seeing great results in their core strength.  Inner strength…sign me up!

·      What will motivate you – Maybe it’s not the gym or a conventional situation.  Maybe it’s belly dancing.  Maybe it’s ballet or karate.  We are so lucky to have the Internet at our fingertips.  Plug in an interest and satisfy your soul. 

3.)   Sign up now

·      Commit – It has taken me so long to let go and commit.  I used to think, “Who am I to sign up for tennis.” It’s an extra; I should be doing more productive things like folding laundry, working and organizing.  Then it hit me.  Sports have always been a part of my life.  I have a competitive side to me and tennis has been the perfect outlet.  What’s your perfect outlet?  Even if you can only commit to once a month, get something on the calendar!

4.)   Free workouts

·      On Demand – On Demand has great free workouts.  I enjoy the yoga programs.

·      Local trails and parks – This is an amazing time of year to explore your local parks and hiking trails.  Make a day out of it.  Pack a healthy picnic and go for a long hike. 

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend.  Eat good food.  Spend time with good people.  And start moving your body!

Love deeply, eat mindfully, and shake what your momma gave you!

Kim Gilroy

Insideout Wellness

Breakfast On-The-Go?

Breakfast On-The-Go?

Running out the door to go to work, to class, to drop the kids at school . . . the list of reasons why we leave the house without eating goes on forever.  I have had this problem since I was a teenager.  I would rather get every last minute of sleep than do my hair, make-up, and eat. I remember standing at the bus stop with frozen hair eating a *chocolate chip scone in the dead of winter because I never left myself time to do my hair or eat. 

For the mornings that I run out of time, my on-the-go grab and eat menu is as follows:

1. Raw Revolution  - Organic Live Food Bars

2. LARABAR Bars

3. Orgain – ready to drink protein shake

If I have 5 minutes to prepare something for the road it is usually a peanut butter, sun butter, or almond butter and jelly sandwich on, of course, Ezekiel / Food for Life bread.  My other quick-make is yogurt in a cup with Ezekiel cereal sprinkled on top and a piece of fruit (bananas and apples are best for traveling).

If you are interested in trying some of the above products, they can be found at Value Drugs in Huntington and Greenlawn.  Print out a copy of this blog before September 30, 2012 and present it at your time of purchase to receive 10% off the following items:  

1. Raw Revolution  - Organic Live Food Bars

2. LARABAR Bars

3. Ezekiel / Food for Life products

*The chocolate chip scones I mentioned were a childhood favorite.  They are still part of my on-the-go experience because as I have mentioned in the past I am not exclusive.  I love all kinds food and I believe in balance!  These yummy treats can be found at A Rise Above Bakery on Main St. in Huntington, where I can also be caught red-handed purchasing their wide variety of muffins!

Find your balance.

Love deeply and eat mindfully,

Kim Gilroy

String Bean Salad

Put the Kids to Bed and Enjoy!

I find it extremely difficult to taste, chew and enjoy food when eating with our girls.  One wants to sit on my lap, the other spills her drink, the one on my lap wants to be fed like she is 18 months…It can get crazy at meal time.  But because of the time crunch, it usually makes the most sense to all eat together.

This past Sunday I bought a bunch of fresh vegetables and chicken from a local farm.  I knew what I wanted dinner to taste like and I had been thinking about it all day. When 6:15 rolled around and we had not even put the BBQ on yet, I said to Terry, “I am going to give the girls leftovers and you start the grill.  Let’s eat alone tonight.” 

Our Sunday night dinner alone was awesome and so was my string bean salad!

 Ingredients:  4 big handfuls of fresh string beans, 3 beets, ½ pineapple, ½ of a small yellow onion, 5 table spoons of olive oil, 8 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper

Tools:  Knife, peeler, pot, large deep pan, a few bowls and one large bowl to serve the salad in

Preparation:

 Beets

·     Cut ends off of beets, peel and place in a pot.  Add water to the pot until beets are covered and put stove on medium high.  Let beets boil until they are soft (you can check beets softness by testing with a knife – if the knife goes through easy, they are ready).  Place beets in a separate container with a few tablespoons of the beet juice from the pot.  Do not cover and let them cool.  Save the juice from the pot in another container and use it for making smoothies. 

String beans

·     Rinse string beans.  Cut the ends off and place them in a large deep pan.  Add water to the pan until the string beans are just covered.  Put stove on medium high and let string beans cook for about 3-4 minutes.  Take off the stove, drain string beans and then place them in a bowl of cold water with ice cubes (7-10 cubes).  Let sit for 2-3 minutes drain well and place in a large serving bowl.  Add a tablespoon of olive oil, a small pinch of salt and a sprinkle of pepper and toss together.

Pineapple

·     Cut pineapple into round slices average thickness and place on the grill.  The grilling time will depend on the heat.  I had the heat on low and grilled the pineapple for about 5 minutes on each side.  Check occasional so you do not over cook.  You want them slightly chard.

Onion:

·     Peel and cut onion into tiny square pieces (1/2” by ½” or smaller).  Place in pot with one tablespoon of olive oil and cook on medium low for about 6 minutes (or until onion is beginning to become translucent) stirring occasionally. Lower the heat of the stove to low and add 8 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoon of olive oil and cook for 1 minute on low heat stirring the whole time then transfers onions and sauce into the bowl of string beans.

Cut up the beets and pineapple and add them to the serving bowl with the string beans, add a tablespoon of beet juice and one more sprinkle of pepper.  Toss together and enjoy.

This salad sounds more labor intensive than it really is.  I just like to take everyone step by step because I know some of my readers are new cooks.  You can rinse, cut and cook the beets and string beans ahead of time and place in the refrigerator. I recommend doing the sauce right before you serve. But you can cut the onion ahead of time. I also enjoyed the pineapple right off the grill into the salad.

I hope you enjoy this salad as much as I did!

Love deeply and eat mindfully,

Kim Gilroy

Kim's Corn Chowder

Kim’s Corn Chowder

I sometimes think people have visions of me feeding my daughters kale off the stem as they graze willingly like two Greek goddesses.  I really wish this was the case and if at any point in time I have painted that picture for you I am sorry.  For the record, I doctor up food, I’m not too proud to bribe and there are plenty of foods the girls don’t eat!

Most of my food creations come from finding new ways to get vegetables into my family’s diet.  My girls are at the point now that they look at most of the vegetables I am preparing and say, “I don’t like that mom.”  It’s killing me.  So I just keep inventing new ways for them to like them. 

Kim’s Corn Chowder

Ingredients:  1 head of cauliflower, 1 head of broccoli, 1 onion, 1 bag of frozen peas, ½ bag frozen chopped spinach, 7 ears of corn, 2 cups of water, 2 cups of whole milk, 2 cups of Pacific low sodium chicken broth, 1 table spoon of butter, ranch dressing

Tools: 2 large pots, a blender, tongs, small bowl, knife, spoon, ladle, 2 large storage containers for prepared chowder

Time:  About 45 minutes

1.)   Prep the corn – Husk and boil the corn in a large pot

2.)   Rinse and chop broccoli and cauliflower

3.)   Peel and slice onion

4.)   Put broccoli, cauliflower, onion, bag of peas, ½ bag of frozen chopped spinach, 2 cups of water, 2 cups of low sodium chicken broth, 2 cups of whole milk in a very large pot (the biggest one you have)

5.)   Put stove on medium high, stir every few minutes and let the soup come to a boil

6.)   When soup comes to a boil shut off the stove and add 1 tablespoon of butter and continue to stir for the next few minutes

7.)   Take the corn out of the pot and cut the kernels off the cob – If the corn is hot use tongs to hold the cob while you cut the kernels off and place kernels into a separate bowl

8.)   Scoop out soup into the blender – fill the blender about half way trying to ration the liquid and the vegetables equally and blend until ingredients are a thick soup consistency and repeat until all the soup has been blended and placed in large storage containers

9.)   Add the corn in and stir

Serve with a teaspoon (or tablespoon depending on the size of your bowl) of Marie’s Ranch Dressing and add pepper to your liking.  For variety add shredded cheddar cheese in place of the ranch dressing.

This yields a lot!  Be prepared to freeze one container.  To freeze let soup cool down for at least a half hour.  Then, cover in an airtight container and place in the freezer.

You are not serving this at your next cocktail party (or maybe you are;).  However, It gets the job done for a weeknight side of veggies!  Get creative.  Make it a real chowder and add fish.  Make it a complete meal and add fish and quinoa! 

Happy chowder making!

Love deeply and eat mindfully,

Kim Gilroy – Insideout Wellness

Lighten Up Mom!!!

I found myself in many “Kim, lighten up!” situations last week.  It started last Saturday when my girls were housing chips and other treats while boating with friends.  That same evening ended with amazing homemade chipwiches (they were so good!!!) that my girls could not eat fast enough.  Cut to the Fourth of July, when my girls were offered another ice cream treat, but this time for lunch.  I accepted the ice cream with a slight curl of the toes, chuckled and thought, “It’s the Fourth of July, kids are supposed to be eating ice cream for lunch!” And the list goes on: ice cream cake with breakfast to celebrate Mommy’s birthday, juice boxes, more chips . . . and so on. 

                                          "Lighten up mom!"

Alas, after the crazy 4^th of July week, my girls woke up this morning and requested smoothies.  Either because they are creatures of habit and they have not had their morning smoothie the past few days, or maybe they really enjoy the good stuff, or maybe they are obsessed with the Fresh Beat Band (Marina and Kiki drink smoothies!) . . . either way, I was happy to make them and they were happy to drink them up!

Here are our two morning smoothies:

Smoothie 1

1 banana

1 apple

1/3 of a bag of frozen blue berries

2 heaping tablespoons of frozen chopped spinach or 4 heaping tablespoons of pureed kale

½ cup of milk of choice (we use coconut)

½ cup of coconut water

1.)    Peel and slice banana and place in blender

2.)    Rinse, peel and slice apple and place in blender

3.)    Add blue berries

4.)    Add spinach or kale (Rinse, break apart and puree kale ahead of time to make this go more efficiently)

5.)    Add milk of choice and coconut water (add more liquid if you want smoothie thinner and less if you want it thicker)

Note – if you are using fresh berries and not frozen I would add a few ice cubes

Smoothie 2

1 large banana or 2 small bananas

½ cup of chopped strawberries or blue berries

½ cup of milk of choice (we alternate between coconut and whole milk)

½ cup of coconut water

2 ½ tablespoons of Organic Raw Cacao Powder

5 ice cubes

1.)    Peel and slice bananas and place in blender

2.)    Rinse, chop and add strawberries to blender

3.)    Add milk of choice and coconut water to blender

4.)    Add Cacao to blender

5.)    Add ice to blender

These are just a couple of options.  Experiment!  For example this morning I was making smoothie 2 and I didn’t have any coconut water left or strawberries.  So, I added extra coconut milk, an apple and blue berries and it tasted great. 

If you have extra smoothie left over, make a smoothie pop by placing the extra in ice cube trays.  Cut up a straw and place the pieces in the middle of the smoothie and put the tray in the freezer.

Happy smoothie making!

Love deeply and eat mindfully,

Kim Gilroy – Insideout Wellness

ALWAYS LEAVE THE GYM ON A MAKE!

My high school basketball coach always told me, “Never leave the gym on a miss.  You always leave the gym on a make!” 

I have carried this saying in my heart and overall being since I was 15.  In some ways it has made me stronger and more effective in life and other ways just annoyingly competitive with myself.

The other day I was playing tennis with my husband and he called out, “Last rally.”  We proceeded to have an awesome rally that ended on my error and I looked at him and said, “I can’t leave the court on a miss.“ He was amused, bothered, and slightly re-fell in love with me all at the same time and agreed to one more.  I hit a shot I was perfectly content with and walked off the court.

I have to say, most days when it comes to cooking for myself and my family I am pretty aggressive and competitive with myself.  The whole theory of leaving on a make has transcended into preparing healthy meals for my family (I wish I had the same competitive edge about laundry, cleaning my bathrooms and getting birthday cards out on time).   As I have mentioned in the past, I do try to balance it all out.  Friday night’s mom Gilroy takes off her game face orders pizza and the girls and I usually have at it! There is so much right about not having dishes to clean, the simplicity of a great slice and living in Huntington and having such amazing pizza available to us. 

My relationship with pizza is love at first bite and guilty and tired after my second slice.  It never stops me though.  Even as I am eating the second slice talking to myself about how lethargic it’s going to make me feel, without fail I will dig in.  But this week was different. This week in place of having my two slices I only had one.  I put the girls to bed and finished the day on a total make.  I don’t want to give people the wrong idea, that having pizza with your kids is a miss.  But I just truly enjoyed my second homemade slice so much that I wanted to share it!

PIZZA ON A MAKE!

Ingredients: 1 Ezekiel – Food for Life wrap, 1/3 cup of Great Northern Beans (or small white bean of choice), 1 and 1/4 cups of cooked green vegetable of choice (broccoli rabe is recommended), 1 over flowing table spoon of grated pecorino cheese.

Preparing broccoli rabe

Ingredients:  I head of broccoli rabe (broccoli rabe should be rinsed well and about 1 inch of the bottoms should be cut off), 1 medium size onion, 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 small pinch of salt, 1 and ¾ cup of chicken broth

1.)   Peel and slice onion and place into a large pot

2.)   Add olive oil to pot and 1 garlic clove peeled and cut in half and sauté onion and garlic on medium low for about 8-10 minutes (onion should start to look translucent)

3.)   Add broccoli rabe to pot (if the pot is not big enough to put it all in at the same time add them in smaller bundles and let the leaves cook down and then add another bundle and so on)

4.)   Stir well add other two garlic cloves, pinch of salt and chicken broth

5.)   Let cook to your liking.  If you leave it cooking longer the leaves will get softer and the broccoli rabe will loose some of the bitterness.  If you take it out after a few minutes it will be crunchier and a bit more bitter.  I like it both waysJ

Preparing PIZZA ON A MAKE!

1.)   Chop a little over 1 cup (about 1 and ¼ cups) of cooked broccoli rabe

2.)   In a medium bowl add broccoli rabe, beans (make sure they are rinsed well), ½ tablespoon of grated pecorino and mix

3.)   Thaw Ezekiel wrap in oven at 350 for 3-4 minutes

4.)   Place thawed wrap on tinfoil and add mixture of broccoli rabe, beans and cheese and place the other ½ tablespoon of pecorino on top

5.)   Place under the broiler until cheese is melted

6.)   Take out of the oven and enjoy!

Get creative and try different vegetables and let me know how it goes.  If you use frozen vegetables or pre-prepared vegetables from last nights dinner, this can be a really quick and easy meal!  I had it today and added a few pieces of left over sausage…yum!  I think I am eating it tomorrow too and adding some left over tomato sauce!

Love deeply, eat mindfully, and end the day on a makeJ

Kim Gilroy – Insideout Wellness