Recipe: A Summer Quiche

Hello! Yes, yes - been some time again since my last post. But I promise this post will surely make up for my lack of posting. Last weekend I was blessed and fortunate enough to go away with my friend to her family's home on Shelter Island in New York. It was the second year in a row I've been invited and it's just a rejuvenating and wonderful experience. The home is beautiful and just amazing to be there. Truly.

A view I captured from Sunset Beach on Shelter Island, NY

While we were there, my friend Tracy made us breakfast each morning and she came up with this amazing quiche that I replicated last week (minus a few ingredients). It's got a fresh take and an ingredient you just may not ever think to include in a quiche but I assure you it's deeeeelish!

And fortunately two ingredients now are in full swing this summer season and you can likely grab them at your local farm stand or farmers market: zucchini and tomatoes.

Yep. That's right zucchini and squash.

What?!?! you say?  Yes.  So did I. Until I tried it and it was the best tasting quiche I think I've ever had. So run to the market and grab some squash, zucchini and tomatoes and whip this up.  I promise you it does not disappoint.

Oh, and for my fellow THM-ers this recipe would be an S.

Ingredients

1-2 medium sized zucchini or summer squash chopped (last week I used both yellow and green squashes but this week I only had green)

1 medium tomato chopped 

1 or 1/2 large yellow onion chopped 

Fresh basil (if possible) chopped

Dried oregano to taste 

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon of butter or coconut oil

Non stick spray or butter for pan

5-6 large eggs 

1/2 cup of heavy cream or 1/2 and 1/2

1 cup of shredded cheese - I used a Mexican blend but mozzarella or any of your choosing will do

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet place butter or coconut oil and heat onion and zucchini until softened. Add tomatoes half way through just to soften.

2. Add herbs, salt and pepper to veggies.

3. In a large mixing bowl scramble eggs and combine cream. Then, add shredded cheese.

4. Spray or coat round baking pan or dish with nonstick coat.

5. With a slotted spoon, transfer veggies to the large mixing bowl - the tomatoes and veggies can leave liquid which you do not want in quiche! Mix well.

6. Pour all ingredients into baking pan/dish and bake for about 30-40 minutes depending on your oven and baking dish.

Softening the veggies 

Add the tomatoes last to soften - drain with slotted spoon

All mixed up and ready to bake

Ready to cook!  I can't hardly wait to eat this

Ta-dahhh! Done.  Oh and I made my husband a ham and cheese quiche too :)

So, what do you think?  So easy and fresh and a fantastic way to get in some additional veggies.  You could add anything else to this also - bacon or any other veggies you have laying around. 

I hope you have a great Sunday!  Now, onto laundry and cleaning.  

~Carly

Motivate Me Monday - 6/15/2015

Happy Monday!

It's rainy here today and I woke up with a headache but I'm trying to not let it get me down. 

For the first time in a long time I was able to get up really early before my kids and have a cup of coffee. I've been trying to do that since the beginning of the school year! Now that it's the last week of school - go figure! 

And then even though I didn't feel like it I worked out and ate a really healthy breakfast and was able to have a fairly productive morning with my son. 

As I ate my lunch earlier I thought "Wow, why can't every day be like this?"

And then of course I laughed. I can certainly strive for each day to be more on purpose and meaningful. But when you have a lot going on, two kids and just life in general it's a bit much to expect perfect days all the time. But today made me grateful I was able to do what I did.

So to remind myself I came across this:

Strive for progress, not perfection.

This was so fitting to see and take in. Right now I feel it applies to so much for me with health, life, exercise, parenting, organizing - anything! 

As long as there's a progression in the right direction I consider it a win.

I will attempt to get up early again tomorrow but just in case I don't, I will take this morning as progress and put perfection aside for now :)

~Carly

What's Up Wednesday 6/10/15

Hey there!

Just wanted to post a quick update as to what I've been up to.  As I mentioned I started doing PIYO about a month ago and while I really love it and will continue to use it, I just don't think I'm getting the results I want from it.  I'm definitely more flexible and stronger from the program but I'm lacking the cardio aspect and toning I was hoping to get.

Soooo, again I'm switching it up my workout and trying a program I found via Instagram by an Australian woman named Kayla Itsines.  She's got 3 million followers and is constantly posting these AMAZING transformations of women across the world with her Bikini Body Guide.

So, I figured while I'm on my exercise kick, why not give this a whirl?  Kayla's 12 week program includes circuit training, high and low steady state cardio and stretching so I will plan to do PIYO for stretching benefits and possibly even on my rest days.

I've also made my Refreshing Quinoa salad a few more times now - yeah, I'm addicted!  And just keeping clean eating and making sure I'm drinking enough water.

That's what's up for this Wednesday.

Catch me on Instagram, too!

Have a great one!
~Carly

Recipe: Refreshing Quinoa Salad (THM E)

Happy Friday! 

Whew - is it just me or was this a long week? Either way, TGIF for sure.

On my to-do list was grocery shopping but kind of fell to the wayside. My son is no longer in preschool every morning and today we had a park play date with some friends. Since I was out of grilled chicken or deli meats (and pretty much everything else) I opened the pantry and fridge to see what I could make last minute.

Enter this refreshing quinoa salad - oh it doesn't disappoint! Each bite is a burst of sweet, crunchy, lemony goodness. I promise!

I' m just going to throw it out here now - I'm a culinary genius. Just for today. Seriously.

Grab your grocery list and add this ASAP since I'm totally making it again for next week, too! 

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked quinoa (cooled)

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 lemon juiced

1 can garbanzo beans

2-3 stalks celery diced

1/3 cup diced red onion

1/2 large cucumber diced

6-7 stalks of kale (with stems removed and leaves chopped)

1/4 cup craisins 

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa according to directions and set aside to cool. (Since I was in a rush I threw the pot in the fridge!)

2. Drain and rinse garbanzo beans and set aside.

3. Dice onion, celery, cucumber and kale and throw them in a large bowl. 

4. In a smaller bowl, add the olive oil Amd lemon juice and whisk together. 

5. Once quinoa is cooled, add it to the diced items in large bowl, add garbanzo beans and toss together.

6. Last, pour lemon/olive oil over mixed items and stir gently to coat or combine.

Then, enjoy!

I'm going to admit I wasn't sure how this would all turn out as far as taste goes - but yum! This could easily be eaten without anything else (like I did today at the park) or it would be fantastic as a side dish to grilled chicken, a white fish or even over a bed of lettuce or spinach! 

You can add, change or omit ingredients to your specific tastes. Green apples could be added for some extra crunch too! 

I would say this recipe makes about 4-5 decent sized portions. You could easily double the recipe. In fact, this would be a great side dish to bring to a summer barbecue or just to make and keep in the fridge. I actually can't wait to have some more possibly with dinner tonight.

For THM, this recipe would be considered an E meal because of the quinoa, beans and limited amount of fat from the olive oil.

Let me know if you do decide to make it and if you make any tweaks!

Have a great weekend!

~Carly

May Updates and PiYo

It's finally spring here in Connecticut! Although we really don't have seasons anymore here in New England. I'm able to finally be outside more, run on our local trail and walking the dog. 

I'm of course still following the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle and in addition to my walking and running I started a beach body program called PiYo.

I'm loving it so far! It's a combination of yoga and Pilates (hence the name) and you use your own body to sculpt your body. While I haven't necessarily lost any weight (I'm still maintaining), I feel like I'm definetly stronger and leaning out a bit. It's hard to tell right now since I'm feeling bloated with my monthly thang - but time will tell for sure.

Hope all is well in your world - will have some more updates and posts for you soon.

~Carly

Fuel Cycle Week Two (with a bump/twist)

Today starts week two of my Fuel Cycle.

Week one starting weight about 158.

Starting weight this week is 156 - up a bit from 155.6 from my planned date night the night before :) also I still have my period. Keep reading for my ending weight :) 

Week Two

Day 8 deep S

5:45 am Coffee and water upon waking 

8:00 am three eggs scrambled in coconut oil and sausage and more coffee with cream 

12:45 lunch deli roast beef with sautéed peppers, mushrooms and a few slices of onion and half of a deep s cake in a mug with ggms

1:45 coffee with cream - tired! And had to take my son to a birthday party

6:00 pm dinner - ate out at a Mexican restaurant and had carne asada with a side salad with a little cheese and tomato and a little guacamole that came with it and I forgot to tell them no. (Note: not supposed to have tomatoes or avocado on the fuel cycle per the book).

8:30 - snack of skinny pb cup chocolate made with peanut flour

Day 9 deep S

6:15 am wake with water and coffee

8 am breakfast scrambled eggs in coconut oil and sausage and another cup of coffee with cream

12:15 pm - Perrier water while out shopping at Bjs wholesale club

1 pm - lunch - snickers shake with chocolate protein with cottage cheese and pb powder ice and sweetener with vanilla and caramel extract - yum 

 

4:00 pm - snack 1/2 of a deep s cake in a mug and a piece of skinny pb chocolate and hot Shrinker tea

6:15 pm Dinner - turkey burger with roasted red pepper and mustard and kale salad and water 

8:45 pm - skinny pb chocolate  

Day 10 deep S

I think there was something off with my scale because I'm back up to 157.2 :/

Hmmm

6:15 am coffee and water after waking up

8:00 am breakfast eggs scrambled in coconut oil with ham, green pepper and a little onion and a smidge of cheese

 

9:15 am gym - walk/run on treadmill

10:00 am water and coffee with cream 

12:15 polar black cherry water 

1:45 lunch - turkey burger with bacon and mustard and roasted red peppers and a side kale salad

6:30 pm dinner - baked salmon with butter and sautéed squash and zucchini in coconut oil and water

Day 11 Fuel Pull

6:15 am wake up and have water and coffee with almond milk

7:15 am hungry and ate my overnight berry oats

10:00 am Snack coffee and water and a strawberry cheesecake quest bar

12:30 pm lunch big boy smoothie with added spinach and some cottage cheese for extra protein

3:00 snack - FP brownies 

6:00 pm dinner - buffalo chicken salad

Day 12 Fuel Pull

Note: very difficult day - night before found my daughter had somehow gotten lice and then my grandmother passed early this morning so off day due to all that was going on

6:15 am wake and have coffee and water

9:00 am more coffee

1:40 pm lunch progreso light soup with added grilled chicken and a piece of FP brownie

3:00 snack - coffee water and more FP brownies

6:00 pm egg white wrap with bacon bits and little cheese 

Day 13 E

Weigh in: 156 (down 1.2 from a few days prior)

6:20 am wake and have water and coffee

8:00 am Ezekiel toast with peanut butter and a half of banana 

12:15 pm - lunch at a friends house - salad with rotisserie chicken, light dressing, some black beans and a little avocado 

2:50 pm coffee and FP brownie and half container 0% Greek yogurt with polaner jelly 

5:45 pm - dinner left over chicken black bean and sweet potato chili I froze with a little sprinkle of cheese and I ate a few bites of a small slice of pizza - ooops and water 

Day 14 E

Weigh in: 155.4 Woohooo!

Note: I'm altering my last day since I am flying to Florida and had planned to do three weeks but may now be difficult and I really wanted an S breakfast.

7:00 am wake and have coffee and water

8:00 am breakfast deep s eggs in coconut oil and sausage and one piece of bacon

11:15 snack/lunch fuel pull brownie and a Greek yogurt with polaner probably an E with the extra carbs

2:00 pm coffee at airport and a Perrier 

4:30 pm quest bar and a few pieces of pineapple and water on plane 

8:00 pm dinner out - had a small Caesar salad and eggplant grinder and ate the eggplant and cheese only and a piece of my moms meatball 

Update: I'm writing this on Tuesday March 24, 2015 - this morning I weighed in at 154.4!!!! 

Granted I didn't eat as much over the past few days due to traveling and being emotional and not hungry but I brought quest bars with me and was able to stay on plan with one cheat of having some coffee cake after my grandmothers funeral service. 

Overall this two week fuel cycle was great! I would loved to have continued for a third week but it wasn't possible. I did a deep s breakfast today and will continue to freestyle for now using what I've learned again during this fuel cycle.

~Carly

Fuel Cycle Details - Week One

Hello! 

After a long winter and some holiday and vacation weight gain, I started another Fuel Cycle this past week. 

My starting weight was 157.6-158 on March 8th. Here are the details of my week:

Week One

Day 1 Deep S

6:45 am Snack - 1 piece of skinny peanut butter chocolate and cup of coffee with cream before my spin class

9:30 am Breakfast - three eggs in coconut oil with mushrooms, spinach, bacon strip and coconut oil and another cup of coffee

1:00 pm Lunch large salad with spinach and romaine, rotisserie chicken, bacon crumbles and cucumbers with olive oil and fruit punch GGMS and a few bites of deep S cake in a mug

3:30 cup of oolong tea 

6:00 Dinner -Breakfast for dinner - scrambled three eggs in coconut oil and sausage and water. A few more bites of a chocolate cake in a mug. 

Day 2 Deep S

6:15 am coffee and cream and water after waking

8:00 am Two eggs scrambled with butter and sausage and a small sprinkle of cheese and more coffee.

9:15 am 3 mile walk on the trail 

12:45 pm Lunch - roast beef sautéed with mushrooms and a few onions (note: onions are not recommended for deep S days but I didn't have any other veggies) and a large side salad with olive oil dressing and water

3:30 pm snack oolong tea, water and half a chocolate cake in a mug

6:45 pm Dinner - meatloaf and two heaping bowls of a kale and broccoli salad mix from Costco with some olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar dressing with water (note: I only made one meatloaf for my family so I did eat some of the thin tomato sauce layer on top but tomato products are not recommended for deep s days).

Deep S Day 3

Weigh in - 157 (down approx. 0.8 lbs)

6:10 Coffee and water upon waking 

8:30 am Breakfast - two eggs scrambled with sausage and a little cheese just like yesterday and coffee with cream

11:50 am Lunch - leftover piece of meatloaf and kale salad mix with olive oil and balsamic dressing and water 

Snack 3:45 pm half of chocolate cake in mug

Dinner 6:45 pm grilled chicken with sautéed garlic spinach in olive oil

Day 4 Fuel Pull

Breakfast 7:45 am overnight oats

Coffee with almond milk

Snack 10:20 am quest bar banana nut muffin and water 

Lunch 12:30 - was starving! Loaded fotato soup and a side salad with chicken and light dressing and fruit punch ggms

1:00 pm 35 minute walk

2:00 pm a small amount of Greek yogurt and polaner

4:00 coffee with almond milk and FP brownies

6:35 pm Dinner ham steak with large kale salad mix and light dressing and water and a piece of apple

Day 5 Fuel Pull

Weighed and got a little drop of 156.4 but double checked and it jumped back up to 157.2 so we shall see how the rest of the week goes but the scale is going down!

6:15 coffee and water after waking

8:05 am - breakfast egg white muffins a friend made and a big boy smoothie

10:20 am - snack fuel pull brownies with coffee and almond milk

1:40 pm - lunch grilled chicken wrap with buffalo wing sauce, lettuce and blue cheese dressing mixed with Greek yogurt to dip veggies in - carrots cucumbers and celery and water

 

4:30 snack coffee and FP brownies

6:30 dinner - FP pizzas and salad

8:30 FP brownies at my neighbor is ladies night and had a "shot"

Of red wine and a small taste of a few dips with celery and wasa crackers

Day 6 E

Wake with coffee and water at 6:15 am

I was supposed to go to spin class but I woke up with a stiff neck :( 

8:00 Breakfast - egg white scramble with veggies and Ezekiel English muffin and polaner and more coffee with almond milk 

11:00 snack 1/2 quest bar while out and about and some water 

1:15 lunch - chicken, black bean and sweet potato chili with a little sprinkle of cheese and if still hungry will snack on some veggies and a black cherry polar sparkling water

3:19 - really hungry so having a snack and made a snickers shake with pb2 flour and added some sliced frozen bananas to make it an E and had a bite of a FP brownie while waiting for it all to blend!

6:00 dinner - another small serving of the sweet potato chili and a large bowl of my kale salad mix with some lighter dressing and water

Day 7 E

Woohoo! Amazing surprise on the scale 155.6!!!!! My period came yesterday and I'm sure some of the weight was from bloat but it's on its way to being gone!

6:30 am Coffee and water 

8:45 am breakfast THM pancakes with 0% Greek yogurt and polaner 

11:45 am - early lunch of more chili and a small side salad and a half piece of a small FP brownie with water

2:45 pm - snack some apple slices and a little natural peanut butter and coffee

6:00 pm - dinner out for date night!! I ended up deciding to eat s and had a portobello mushroom stuffed with crab appetizer and a filet mignon and mixed veggies and a glass of red wine (note: wine is not recommended during a FC)

It was a choice I made and that's what I love about THM :)

So there's week one! 

Have you done a THM Fuel Cycle? 

~Carly