Back to the grind.

It's Monday and I am back to the grind. I got a phone call this morning at 4 a.m. from my sister saying that my mother had a heart attack and was in the hospital. This was enough to keep me awake for the rest of the morning. Needless to say, I am on barely any sleep. Please keep my mom in your prayers. This is the second time that she has had a heart related promblem. This time was way worse than the last. I am staying here in Athens and working until she gets released, then I will make the decision whether or not to go home. When things like this happen it makes me feel stressed and helplessness. Living a few hours away causes me to feel too far to be there when needed. It could always be worse. I could live across the country but when you want to be there, you want to be there fast.

I just wanted to give you guys a heads up just in case my posts are all over the place this week.

With all that being said lets talk about food when you are stressed out and have a lot of things on your mind...

I will not lie....This morning when I got the phone call and was barely awake. When I got the news I was very upset. I could feel my heart pumping and I knew that there was no way for me to go back to bed. There is nothing worse than getting a call in the middle of the night from a family member. As soon as I saw it was my sister calling, I knew that bad news. After talking with her for a few minutes and pacing around my kitchen, I caught myself grabbing for things out of the fridge to calm me. At that time I didn't care or even stop to think about what I was doing. Now, after getting to work and have had my coffee, I am re tracking my steps this morning. I didnt go on a binge or anything. I didn't stuff my mouth with things like cookies or cake when I could have. Instead, I went for a whole grain Dr. Kracker. Two things come to mind when I think about what I reached for this morning. One, I am so proud of myself that I could have but didn't go for the real comfort foods that I still have left over. This means that I may have successfully trained myself to actually DEAL with my problems instead of feed them. Two: Why a whole grain cracker? Well, I think that the cracker box was right in clear site and I think that I wanted something that wouldn't make me feel worse after getting such bad news. I think that this brings up a great topic...

Place foods that are healthy and good for you in eye's view. Reachable foods that are low calorie and healthy will be easier for you to choose, even in stressful times. This made my stressful morning a no brainer when it came to me eating something when I felt like I needed a little something to sooth my tummy. This is something that I think you should consider in your pantries, cabinets and drawers. I am not a fan of hiding foods. To be truthful, when I hide foods it just makes me feel like I am cheating (and I try not to exclude and one food group from my diet). Instead of feeling like you are sneaking around eating that piece of dark chocolate just eat it and be done with it. If you hide things and make you feel like you are being "bad" then it is just going to feed that emotion and before you know it you are playing games with yourself and food. Instead, try strategically placing your food. I do this and it works for me. I also find that it helps me stay organized which is bonus! Here is a picture of one cabinet that makes perfect since to me.

This photos are not of my pantry, it makes mine look awful. In this pantry notice what is eye level.

I like this picture because one of the first things that I noticed was the fizzy water. I would totally grab one of those to fill my stomach up and get hydrated as well. Notice you don't see, cookies, chips or candy in the middle sections.

Here is another pantry that I liked a lot. This one was divided up into sections. Nothing bad here and in fact I don't really see anything that I could grab and eat without using it for actually preparing food. This is a good idea. Eating a clean diet is great because 90% of the foods that I eat are not packaged and need to be eaten within a few days of buying. Fresh fruits and veggies are always on hand and usually chopped up and in a ready to go container.

If you are not a pantry kinda person and usually go for the fridge when stressed, anxious or just plain bored. Make sure that you have fresh fruits and veggies to get your fix. I always have chopped cooked veggies and chicken ready for me at anytime. I can pair these two ingrediants and make just about anything I want. I am a emotional eater like so many and I just had to figure out what works for me. I grab a banana or some fresh fruit if I have a "craving" for something sweet. If I want something crunchy I go for celery and if I want something savory I go for the veggies and chicken with salsa. This is what works for me.

Something else that works for me is having a designated spot. I have two other roommates and I was the one that said "I hope that this is not weird but I need to have the fridge and pantry divided up into our own spots." I wanted this for two reasons. One, Karen and I eat a lot of the same foods and I didn't want to accidentally eat some of her food if it weren't mine. Secondly, I wanted to be able to know exactly where my food was so that I could see if I needed to re stock so that I always had a plan for those days I would come home tired from the gym, stressed out from work or those bored evenings when it is a rest day and you are trying to have a low key evening. third, I am not a vegetarian and I think that if you eat meat and someone in your household doesnt, you should be considerate and not out your meat next to their foods. Some people are very sensitive to these sorts of things.

There is a method to my madness!

Another tip that I have is utilize your freezer. I almost never go for the freezer. To me the freezer=work. That means that whatever I grab out of there I have to prepare. I always think that if it is the freezer it is going to take a while to thaw and must be assembled. Not completely....I use the freezer for things like my chocolate stash. I put my chocolate in there because it allows for it to be cold and fresh and I always forget to look in the freezer when I am on the prowl. I sometimes freeze things that I know I would reach for. You can also have some fresh on hand and freeze the rest so that you don't have it all at once!

These are just tips that help me stay on track, when my mind may not be. Next time you are in the mood to rearrange or clean out your fridge and cabinets, make a effort to place foods strategically. Sometimes doing something as simple as moving those cookies from the middle shelf to the bottom shelf can make a world of difference.

I know that it has for me!

I will be having more news and reviews this week so stay tuned!

See you tomorrow!

-Heather

The day after...

I know that I said that I would not be posting until Monday however I just couldnt stay away from you!!! I wanted to re-cap my amazing Thanksgiving. It was one of the best Thanksgivings that I have ever had. I didnt spend it with family this year as (you can read in yesterdays post) they had to work and decided to order in. I decided, that wouldnt stop me! I was to make an amazing Thanksgiving that was SUPER healthy and spend it with one of my most favorite people! The two of us really had a blast. The re-cap begins!

I woke up at around 9:00 (late for me) and decided to have a regular breakfast. So often people on Thanksgiving starve themselves all day knowing that they are going to pig out. They THINK that they are saving themselves calories and allowing themselves to REALLY enjoy the food because they will be hungry. What really happens is, it is time to eat, your body is already in starvation mode, you eat a massive amount of food (twice as much as you would normally eat if you were to eat earlier in the day) and everything that you ate sits there like a brick. This is not my idea of a happy Thanksgiving. I however decided that I would go about things as I usually do.

After I had my coffee I had some greek yogurt, granola, pb2 and jam mixed together. I wanted to eat some protein but something light. I knew that I was going to go for a run to start the day. I was so glad to do so. The streets were dead and I was able to relieve some stress. I knew I still had a ton of cooking to do and didnt want to be a reck in the kitchen. 4.58 miles later I was home. I had plans to start entertaining at 1:00 and by the time I got home I saw that it was already noon. I started running around the house to take a shower and get in the mode of cooking and then stopped. I said to myself "This is Thanksgiving, just relax and enjoy it." So, I picked up the phone and asked Pete if he could come by at 2:00 instead. He was happy to oblige and in fact was running a little late as well so this allowed me to have more time and even get in 30 minutes of yoga! I was relieved.

After yoga and a hot shower I was ready. I knew I had about a hour and a half to do the simple appetizers that I wasnt to serve and get the marinade done for the hens so that they could go into the fridge for a few hours. The appetizers were made and here is a snapp shot of the bitesize treats!
On the yellow plate have rice crackers, sliced apple, goat cheese, ginger preserves and fig and preserves.
On the blue plate have endive stuffed brochette and chopped walnuts. Peaking in the background...A persimmon.

These were accompanied by New Age sparkling wine and these gems.
Chocolate pomegranate seeds with sesame. I gave you all my super easy recipe on my last post. Boy were these gooooood!

After I served these and had a glass of wine, it was time to start cooking. I got the Cornish Hens stuffed and poured the marinade on top.

Cranberry, apple marinade stuffed with Quinoa and all the fixings! The first picture was "before" and the second is "after". So amazing.

While the hens were s-l-o-w-l-y cooking I got the kale prepared. Shelly brought me the most beautiful red and green kale straight from her garden! I was so excited to cook up a huge batch of this! I also got the sweet potatoes ready and put olive oil and sea salt on the white asparagus. I dont have pictures of this process. It wasnt all that exciting truthfully. HOWEVER, I have better! I have the final plated food. Are you ready??? I have some food porn for you.

Look at this!!! I ate this entire plate and still ate desert. To tell you the truth...I am still full. Here you have a breast of Cornish Hen baked with cranberry and apple with sides that included white asperagus, sweet potatoes, kale and quinoa dressing. This meal was out of this world. I ate it slowly and enjoyed every bite.

Of course, no Thanksgiving would be complete without desert! I made pumpkin bread pudding!!!! The pomegranate seeds and walnuts accented it perfectly.

I popped this in the oven just as we sat down to eat so that it would be really warm. I put some whipped cream and drizzled peanut butter on top. OH MY GAWD! It was to die for. The perfect ending to a perfect day....
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. I must admit, it is going to be pretty tough to beat this one!

See you Monday!
-Heather

Superior Salt

I am not going to lie....I like salt. I put salt on just about everything and I used a lot of it. It may be a southern thing but you don't sit down at the table or cook in the south without it. I cut back slowly over the years because I knew that these little granules were what caused me to hold water and feel puffy. I had no idea that in fact my food didn't taste like food, it tasted like salt. Over the years I tried everything to keep these little guys in my life. I tried the salt substitute and it tasted like chemicals. I tried seaweed because it has a salty taste but it just make all my food taste fishy.I tried non -iodized salt as this kinda goes through your blood stream and doesn't cause water retention. I have tried sea salt, which I thought was the best thing, next to nothing. Then my friends I tried Himalayan salt. The superior salt, by far.

Know What You are Eating: Are you aware that common Table Salt is an industrial by-product, stripped by chemical processing of all elements except sodium and chloride - detrimental to health in isolated form? Anti-caking and flow agents are added, yet the FDA Code 21CFR101.100(a)(3), does not require their disclosure to consumers. Table salt comes from the same lots as vacuum-refined industrial salt and is treated with caustic soda or lime to remove all traces of magnesium salts, which are important for health. Important minerals are removed because they provide large corporations with staggering profits for use in agricultural and industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, ammunition's, and other unsustainable industries.

After extreme chemical processing and heated at up to 1200 degrees, table salt cannot support health and no longer combines with our body fluids. Table salt can also cause a deficiency of important essential trace minerals, which are abundantly present in HimalaSalt.The fear of salt has arisen from consumer alerts that advise reduced consumption of salt and foods that have a high sodium content. It has more to do with quality vs. quantity. Consumers deserve to know that this is not the whole truth, and the FDA doesn't require salt companies to disclose to the consumer what's inside, like anti-caking and flow agents, mostly derived from aluminum.Pure salt is essential to life.

The body is made from water and minerals, and all critical functions of the body require these essential minerals and trace elements, which are no longer present in table salt or heat treated sea salt. Table salt is in most all processed, packaged foods, including drinks, candy, snacks, ice cream, cheese, processed meats, etc. Eliminating processed foods and table salt from your diet is important for health.

By using HimalaSalt, rich with over 80 essential trace elements and high in magnesium, calcium, and iron, you can obtain easily assimilated essential minerals and alkalize your body, which is baseline for wellness.Sea Salt comes from oceans that in our lifetime, have become heavily polluted. Growing dead zones and the mix of mercury, heavy metals, and toxins from agricultural chemicals, industrial runoff, nuclear waste, raw sewage and more, have compromised all ocean life. HimalaSalt™ has been protected for millions of year in the remote, pristine Himalayas, and is Pre-People, Pre-Pollution.

HimalaSalt contains a full spectrum of whole essential minerals and delicious flavor that supports well being and adds delicious flavor to sumptuous meals.It's important to have essential minerals for health.When a salt like HimalaSalt, that contains over 80 essential trace elements, is ingested, it immediately works with the saliva (amalese in particular) and begins digestion. The more present in the mouth, the better the digestion, which then continues in the stomach.

HimalaSalt has been known to lower blood pressure, decrease water retention, and supports the liver, kidneys and adrenals to work more efficiently. It also can boost the immune system.Do your body well and use HimalaSalt for optimal mineral absorption, it also opens up the flavor of food, and has significant health benefits over table salt and sea salt from polluted oceans.

As you can tell...I received salt! I have never been so happy to get it either. I opened the package and I was so surprised to see that I had not only gotten a sample, I got enough salt to last me a LONG time :)

I must admit, I try not to use that much these days and sometimes go weeks without adding it to my foods (I really enjoy tasting what foods are like pure). However there are times when it is needed and if I am going to shake the shaker, it better be the best. Being that it is this close to Thanksgiving, this package could not have come at a better time. My family has called my way of eating many things. "Different" (which is my mothers nice way of saying weird), "interesting", "Healthy" and the dreaded...."Bland". This year I am the one that will be cooking the meal for Thanksgiving and the last thing that I want is to have "bland" food on the table for my family. I am going to be using all the kitchen magic that I can to make it as healthy and gourmet as possible this year. I am not going to be using things like butter, bouillon cubes (which my family uses almost anytime something is boiled and it is LOADED with salt), oil or the dreaded fat back to flavor my foods this year. I will be using pretty, pink salt! I already know that my folks will be wondering what in the world is it but with the knowledge that I have about it, I doubt they will mine using it. Besides, trying something new is always good.



Let me tell you a bit about the company Himala Salt. They were so great to send me an array of products!


Green-worthy, gift-worthy grub! Himalayan salt is the world's finest sea salt and HimalaSalt™ is the purest form of Himalayan salt one can find, created 250 million years ago during a time of pristine environmental integrity and hand selected for the highest quality in color, clarity, and purity. You can now experience the healing benefits of Himalayan salt in fine grain, coarse grain, chunks, cubes, bricks, Himalayan cooking slabs or plates, salt bowls, and more. Visit our online store and try our Himalayan salt products, HimalaSalt™, Artisan Salt Plates, Organic Gourmet Peppercorns, HimalaRose Healing Rituals for the home spa, and our new HimalaRose Himalayan Salt Massage Stones.Our artisan Himalayan sea salt and organic peppercorns are made using 100% wind power, certified by the Green-e and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation. Being 100% Carbon Neutral helps us do our part to reduce global warming, while providing you with the highest quality natural Himalayan salt products and organic peppercorns, artisan crafted with the purest ingredients from nature. Our organic lines are 100% certified through QAI, and all products are certified Kosher/Kosher Passover through Organized Kashrush. Our eco-friendly packaging leaves the smallest footprint possible, being either 100% recycled, recyclable, refillable, and reusable. In addition, 5% of profits go to the environment. All products are allergen-free and gluten-free, and produced in our Certified Organic/Kosher facility in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains of New England.

PLEASE go to their website to see for yourself!

http://www.himalasalt.com


Wow! This is a lot of info huh? I bet you didn't know that salt could be so complicated...I know that you are thinking that salt may not be the best gift in the world for Christmas but I am telling you, it is a beautiful thing. Look at one of the products that they gave me!



I got the most gorgeous square of pink Himalayan Salt that came with a Italian stainless steal grinder. AOL picked it as one of the top food gifts for the holidays, people have been blogging about it like crazy, and Phil Lempert, the Food Guru reviewed it on The Today Show, voting it one of the coolest products he's seen in a long time! I also got this:

Needless to say...I am hooked up in the salt department for a long time.Melissa Kushi, Founder and President of Sustainable Sourcing, has devoted much of her life's work to sustainable foods, farming, alternative health, and ethical business models. As a social entrepreneur she traveled some of the world's most remote and deeply cultured regions creating bamboo micro-industries in rural Africa, replacing coca crops with organic cotton in the jungles of Peru, and introduced heirloom soybean seed to organic farmers in the US. Thank you so very much Melissa for sending me this package. The quality is far superior than any other I have tried. I love it when the president of the company contacts me themselves. The customer service is outstanding! I got my package VERY quickly and it was well packaged. This company gets two thumbs up from me! Please go visit their site to read more info about their wonderful products and see what they have to offer. I tell you, you wont be sorry!

Next time you reach for white table salt think about it. Salt doesn't have to be a bad thing. It can be a lovely addition to your table and foods. As long as I have this pink, mineral filled product I wont feel a once of guilt. We are so close to Thanksgiving! I can almost taste my pumpkin pie! Tomorrow's post will be the last one until Monday (unless I just cant stay away from you guys) so get excited! I will be having a great one for sure!


Tootles!
-Heather

Friends and Fridays

Today, I dont have review...HOWEVER, I do have the winner of the Mussleman's Apple Sauce Give-A-Way....Bobbie Webber! You are the winner. Random number 114 was chosen.

Please e-mail me your address and the awesome apple sauce will be coming your way! Thanks to everyone that participated and I am sorry it took me a extra day to announce the winner. Let's get to what this post is all about today.

This post is about friends/family and how they effect your moods and your foods.

I am feeling MUCH better as yesterday I was stressed, tired and ready for the weekend. There is something about Fridays that just give you a boost. Something that makes me VERY happy is my roomie Karen is back at home. Yes, I have roommates at the ripe age of 28. I wish that I didn't, but I do. Hey, you gotta do whatcha gotta do! I have two (one of which I will not talk about, you get the idea) and the other is my best friend. Without Karen in the house it is just terrible. Now that she's back in my life I feel great this morning. I am relief, happy and ready to take on the holidays. She is a life saver. I think that she feels the same way about me, at least I hope so. In March, I will be moving out either into my own place or with her. I have yet to decide (finding a place will be the deciding factor) so I am just warning you now that over the next couple of months, you may be hearing me going through the ups and downs of finding a place and moving. We wont get into that right now though. Let's talk a little bit about nutrition and exercise. I haven't touched on my routine here of late so I thought that today would be a good day to talk about my work-outs and my meals.

Fridays mean so many things to me. It means that my work week is over! I usually go out to dinner once a week and usually pick Fridays, it is a low key day in the gym and I let myself have a few favorites on this day. During the weekend I am a snack face! I rarely sit down and eat a meal except for dinner. Usually it is trail mix, celery and PB2, fruit and Greek yogurt. Weekends are when I spend the most time in the gym. I love being there and not having to run around to get it done in 45 minutes. I take my time and really focus. The other thing about the weekends that I love are my long walks with Karen. She is my walking Buddie and with her back, you better believe there will be way more walking. I love it. It is a great way to either warm up or cool down. Talking with Karen though is the best. I figure that if we are just going to sit around and gab, we might as well walk and do it! Sometimes we can go on three 40 minute walks a day! I know that sounds like a lot but it doesn't feel like it when you are with someone that makes it fun. We have a rout that we usually do and it goes by quick. Do you have a work out buddy? Well I do and here she is:
My best friend and I don't know what I would do without this lady!

This is Karen and I on her birthday with a meal that I prepared. That is my kitchen as well! Notice the blender and magic bullet...

Karen and I look like complete opposites and in fact we almost are! We are very different from each other but some how some way it works. She is the one that introduced me to Sex and the City, french soaps and pedicures. This girl makes me more girly. We have our "girls night" at least once a week. Salads are had with wine and enough gossip (just between the two of us) to fill a book. We do no harm when together, just laugh, dance, work out and eat awesome food. Could you ask for more? I could....I wish she were a guy and then I would marry her!!!

I wanted to recap for you all my workouts this week without the lovely Karen and compare it to next weeks (I will start to recap for you all what I have done Saturday-Friday each week instead of telling you every day). I bet you there will be a huge difference. When she is around, we move!

Here you have the workouts that have been completed thus far!

Saturday-Active rest day. I cleaned the house like a mad women for three hours and went on a 2 mile walk.

Sunday-Ran 2.5 miles and walked 2 miles, lifted weights for upper body for 45 minutes

Monday- 20 minutes stair climber, 20 minutes running (2 miles)

Tuesday-full body lifting and a 45 minute walk

Wed-walked 3.5 miles (55 mins), 45 minutes of yoga and a 40 minute walk

Thurs-Full body weight workout, 40 minute walk

Friday-Running for 30 minutes, 40 minute walk

That is less than what I usually do. I usually do something like this:

Saturday-Full body weights (about a hour and a half), 20 minutes of stair climber, 40 minute walk

Sunday-5 mile run, 40 minutes of walking

Monday-Full body weights, 40 minute walk (sometimes yoga)

Tuesday-40 minute run, 40 minute walk

Wed-Full body weights, 40 minute walk

Thurs-40 min run, 40 min walk

Friday-walking for a hour

Usually, I get three days of cardio and three days of weights with walking (very low key) and some yoga. That is what works for me. Not what is going to work for you. That also may explain why I EAT so much! If I feel the need to rest, I rest. If I feel really good and I want to run or walk longer, I go for it. I say when you FEEL it then agknowlege it and test yourself. I worked myself up to this and it took me years to get this active. This did not happen over night. I prefer to work out alone so Karen and I go on our walks but that is it really. We do go to the gym together but go our separate ways once inside. It is better that way for me because I have been injured before and need to focus on form and posture. If I were talking that would all go out the window and I would get hurt for sure. The proper fuel is necessary to go along with it. A normal day of eats Monday-Friday consist of

In picture form the foods that I eat usually, in order of course.

insert working out here.

Off work from here on out.

Insert walking, yoga and meditating here.

. Then bed.

This is a typical day of eats (all made by me!) Monday-Friday. The weekend are way different I don't plan what I eat, I just go for what my body craves. Even I am not perfect! I have days where I don't eat everything or add things to mix it up. I don't have alcohol every night (try my best to limit it to two nights a week). The dark chocolate makes a few appearances, I usually have a piece after lunch and dinner. I also eat fruit like persimmons, mango, apples, banana and grapefruit. I am trying not to count my cals right now and just pay attention to my body but I would say that all this come out to about 1500 cals and a good balance of healthy fats and protein. The carbs that I eat come from oats, Ezekiel bread, quinoa, fruit and veggies. All in all I would say that my friends/family dont really change the way that I eat. It use to but I as long as I am listening to what I want I always find that I go for a simple salad, grilled or baked fish or chicken and enough veggies to fill a plate! This is how I roll. If anything Karen and I keep each other in check. There are so many times that we help each other out when a craving for something not so healthy comes into play. Again, there are times when we indulge. Balance and moderation is the key and as long as you hold yourself accountable or even better have someone help you, you will be fine. Being social and having friends and family around doesnt have to be hard. Next time you are around a friend or a family member and the thought of stuffing your face with something bad, be a friend, stear them and yourself clear away from it. You will be doing yourself and them a favor!

With this being said, have a wonderful weekend and try my food challenge PLEASE. Try something that you have never had before. I did this week and boy and I glad that I did! I will be doing a post all about it Monday!

See you soon and have a great weekend.

-Heather

Say it with me...."Ohm"

Have you ever wanted to just get away and relax. Maybe a retreat somewhere? Well I have a oppurunity for you!

Enter to win an all expenses paid weekend trip for two to the amazing Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health!
Three ways to enter (choose one!):
1. Share a brief story about why you need to relax and say “Ohm.”
2. Share a recipe you create or tip using Oikos yogurt
3. Post a photo of you doing yoga in a toga

All entries (your post is your entry) must come from bloggers and include a link to the Oikos Facebook fan page and be emailed to oikos@360publicrelations.com by November 30, 2009. The winner will be selected at random and notified by 12/15/09.

I decided that I needed this and am going for it too!

Here is my entry:

Good Afternoon! My name is Heather and I wanted to share with you why I need to relax and say "Ohm" at the amazing Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. Here is my brief story.I am 28 years old. I am so many things! I am a banker by day and a food blogger, personal trainer and musicain by night. I am on the run from the second I get up to the second that I go to bed. I work at a small bank here in Athens Georgia. I have been living here for the pat 10 years and have been in my current position here at the bank for 5 years. My job is SUPER demanding. I work for the medical market so my clients are high maintained and expect the best, fast. I am a assistant to a power house business woman, most of my day is spent running errands, opening accounts and responding to voice mails and e-mails. When I am done with my grueling day here at the office I need a outlet. When I get off of work I go to the YMCA where I volunteer about 2 hours a day with different people to help them get into shape and feel their best. Working out and being healthy is something that I know how to do. After all that is what keeps me sane! I do not charge for this, instead the payment is seeing people who cant afford personal trainer take control of their lives and get healthy. I also am a cook. I love more than anything to prepare healthy good for you foods that not only nourish your body but makes you feel great. I decided that not only would I give the gift of fitness to people who reached but food recipes and training tips via a blog. I have never done anything like this before so I just jumped head first into it and gave it my all. I started to take pictures of my meals and post my daily activity and thoughts. I post reviews for new products that come my way and really enjoy helping people find new things that are out on the market without them having to take the risk of buying it and not liking it. This is such a fun and rewarding way to spend any down time that I may have. I bring my camera with me everywhere and try to really document what I do on a regular basis. My blog focuses on health and fitness and I truly enjoy the time that I spend on it everyday. I have helped so many people over the years with just a simple post.When I am not working at the bank, personal training and blogging I am a musician. I play in a few bands here in town and really love the way that music makes me feel. After all if it weren't for music I doubt that my workouts would be half as good! I play the violin, guitar and sing. I have a music video on youtube under my name Heather Heyn and would love for you to check it out. The point of my story is that while I LOVE helping others I need some time for myself as well. I always say "Today is going to be a ME day" and then find myself booking and appointment or posting another blog in reply to someone. I just cant seem to really relax while I am here. I NEED to get away. Because I dont charge for the personal training, nutrition tips or playing music at venues I am not financially able to get away. I feel bad to charge for something that comes so easily and natural to me. If I could have a weekend trip to the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health I think that I would be able to come back refreshed and ready to give back even more. I will be honest, I am drained, tired and need some healthy attention myself. I dont want this story to be too long as I am sure that you have plenty of entries to read but just know that I appreciate your time and the fact that one lucky person will win a fantastic opportunity to really re group and relax. I know that I would! I have been a lover of Greek yogurt and in fact have done a review on Oikos myself. I love it more than anything! I eat it all the time and if you take a peak at my blog you will see that. If you would take the time to check it out you would totally make my day.

I love Oikos greek yogurt and use it so much that I am including a wonderful holiday recipe that I love during November and December!I hope that you enjoy!

YOGURT PUMPKIN PIE

3 beaten eggs2 cups cooked pumpkin1

-1/2 cups plain Oikos Greek Yogurt

3/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons Myer's dark rum

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon vanillapinch of salt

1 pie crust (bottom)

If using fresh pumpkin, drain in cheesecloth to remove excess liquid.In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine ingredients (other than pie crust).Pour filling into an 8-inch pie crust.Bake at 425?F for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350?F and allow to bake until custard sets (about 1 hour more).I tope this pie with Pomergrante seeds and a bit of chocolate syrup and it is the most beautiful thing ever!

OMG, is your mouth watering yet? I want some right now! Now keep your fingers crossed for me guys and gals. This would be dream come true! Please go to their fan page on facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/oikos

Ok, now is your chance to win so, ready, set, go!

See you on the flip side and have a WONDERFUL weekend!

-Heather

Smiles! I am back.

Back at work and back on track! I had a, well active day off yesterday. I will admit...I spent the whole day exercising in some way. Walking, weight lifting and yogaing. I am one sore girl this morning. With that being said...I am taking today off, as far as exercise goes. I sure deserve it! I am excited though to report that I got two products finally in the mail! The first one that I will tell you about is Xagave.
Xagave is the Sweet, Satisfying and Sensible™ choice to sweeten your foods. The following outlines the key benefits of this wonderful sweetener. Sweeter than Sugar. Xagave is sweeter than sugar. In fact, it is 1.4 times sweeter than sugar so you use less to achieve the same level of sweetness.Saves Calories.Xagave can be used in all of your favorite recipes. Typically, you will substitute 1/2 cup for every cup of sugar called for. Thus, saving between 25 to 40% in carbohydrate calories. In addition, the inulin (a pre-biotic fiber) permits the reduction of fats in baked items which significantly reduces calories even further.Tastes Delicious.

Xagave is a great-tasting, natural sweetener. It is even being used by restaurants in beverages and sauces and is preferred over sugar. The neutral sweet taste does not impart any other flavors to your cooking unlike other nectars and it has even been teenage-tested in Kool-Aid, Zucchini Bread and numerous other recipes without detection or rejection. Finally a sugar substitute without strange aftertastes!Low Glycemic Index.

Xagave is a very low glycemic index food. It is approximately 30 on the glycemic index scale. Anything below 50 is considered to be in the low category, which is recommended for a healthy diet. This low glycemic index rating also make it diabetic friendly.Contains Inulin, a Prebiotic Fiber.Studies have shown Inulin, a prebiotic fiber, promotes the healthy function of your lower intestine. It has also been shown to promote regularity, boost the immune system, increase calcium absorption and increase bone density.More Satisfying and Great for Dieters.The combination of low GI and inulin make Xagave a very satisfying sweetener. Unlike sugar, honey or high fructose corn syrup, you'll find your blood sugar levels do not spike; thereby avoiding the highs and lows of sugar and corresponding cravings and over consumption associated with roller coaster blood sugar levels.Versatile and Easy to Cook With.

Xagave is highly soluble in hot or cold water, making it easy to work with in the kitchen. It is a wonderful sweetener for coffee, tea and cereal. It is also an amazing sweetener for cooking, canning and baking as evidenced by the highly-rated recipes in our cookbook "Delicious Meets Nutritious" for jams, cakes, breads, salad dressing, desserts, cookies and sauces. In addition, we provide on each bottle, our cookbook, and on our website a Sugar Exchange Table that shows how to use Xagave in any recipe -- it truly is the Complete Sugar Replacement™.Contains Calcium, Iron and other Vitamins and Minerals.

Xagave is a natural and organic certified product, derived from the agave plant. The nectar is processed, in order to prevent fermentation, at temperatures that do not exceed 117°F which is considered by most standards. It is not derived from an animal and is appropriate for a vegan diet. Due to its raw condition, Xagave retains its naturally occurring vitamins and minerals and has a particularly high concentration of calcium -- 17% of daily requirements in one (1) tablespoon.

Check out the nutritional facts!

I was so very excited to see this box come to my door step! I cant have artificial sweeteners and I have trouble with blood sugar crashes big time. I couldn't wait to try this product out. I LOVED that it came with a cook book! I LOVE trying new recipes and what better way than with a new product! This is the most extensive cookbook dedicated to cooking with agave on the market. This beautiful, full-color, 129-page, easy to use book contains everything from full meals to appetizers to desserts, sauces, salad dressings, quick breads, beverages and much more. In addition, it contains an extensive overview of the health benefits and cooking properties of agave. This is a must have, life changing cookbook for anyone that is desirous of lowering their caloric intake and improving their health. I was sold!

I decided that I wanted to put the Xagave to the test. A taste test that is!

I went a simple route. I decided that breakfast was the perfect meal to try it out. I had one cup of Oikos Greek Yogurt and poured the Xagave over the top and then added chopped Pecans and cinnamon. I have one word to sum this dish up.

DELICIOUS!

I also added it to my coffee and it made it 10x better than any splenda ever could! I cant wait to put this bottle to use over Thanksgiving. I have a feeling that it will be making a appearance in my cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and sweet potato mash. I am a Xagave lover! Thank you so very much Robyn for sending this my way! You guys get a 10 in my book!

Please go to their site and check them out! You wont be sorry you did!

http://www.xagave.com/

This is one of the best things that I have received in a LONG time!

So there you have it my peeps! A wonderful day in my neighborhood! I hope that you all are having a great day and hey, it's FRIDAY tomorrow so that should account for something!

See you all tomorrow with another review!

By the way I am entering a give-a-way to Enter to win an all expenses paid weekend trip for two to the amazing Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health!
Three ways to enter (choose one!):
1. Share a brief story about why you need to relax and say “Ohm.”
2. Share a recipe you create or tip using Oikos yogurt
3. Post a photo of you doing yoga in a toga (this one makes me giggle)
All entries (your post is your entry) must come from bloggers and include a link to the Oikos Facebook fan page and be emailed to oikos@360publicrelations.com by November 30, 2009. The winner will be selected at random and notified by 12/15/09.

PLEASE keep your fingers crossed for me...I need this!

-Heather

Rainy days makes sunshine that much better!

This morning I did NOT want to get out of bed. It was dark, rainy and cold out. I allowed my alarm to go off several times before actually getting out of bed. This caused me to be a tad bit late than usual but that is what rainy days are for in my opinion. I think that people should take it slower when the weather is bad anyway.

I got to work this morning and poured myself a cup of coffee! It was so gooood! I love a hot cup of coffee when it is this dreary out.

After about an hour I decided that breakfast needed to be had. This was my choice this morning. I did have a side of about 3 egg whites (again, egg whites in a bowl doesn't make for a good picture). What can I say? A girl needs her protein!

Today is going to fly by...I can already tell. I will be OFF tomorrow as it is a bank holiday and that means that tonight I am going to have some much needed fun. I will say. I was boring over the weekend so maybe tonight I will actually go out and do something. K gets home tonight as well so I think that right there is a match made in heaven!

I must say that today's eats will pretty much be the same today as yesterday so I wont bore you with the same ol pictures. I will however show you the Quorn "turkey" burger that I have made for lunch today. Hold on to your pants peeps, this was HEAVEN!

WHOA! This is the heaviest lunch that I have had in ages! I didn't even eat the chips. The Quorn "turkey" burger doesn't look half amazing as it truly was. I am hooked on these patties!

Before lunch I did get in some much needed cardio at the YMCA I ran for 30 minutes and it flew by. I am going to go back to the gym after work for a training session so I didn't want to over do it before I got into it again. So 30 minutes at lunch and I will try and get in another 20 before the training session. I think that tomorrow is going to be a rest day for me. I am way over due!

I plan on going to a knit night tonight with the girls and drinking a glass or two of wine. I cant wait. Lately I have REALLY been enjoying my alone time it is so necessary sometimes to just relax by yourself. Tomorrow my eats will be all over the place. I plan on going for a wonderful walk with Karen and then eating lunch at one of our favorite places! I cant wait to come back on Thursday and the week almost be over. I will have some really great things to talk about. So sorry for the short post but I don't have much today for yall! See you on Thursday!

-Heather

Another start to another week.

This week will be a quick one with a holiday smack in the middle, something tells me I should be able to manage.

I have some GREAT reviews for you this week AND some GREAT eats. What am I waiting for? Let's dig in!

This morning was just like any other Monday...I was scrambling to get out the door and to work on time. I don't know what it is about Mondays, I am always frazed. After getting to work and getting my computer up and running I headed for the coffee pot. Yes, I know that I am trying to cut the coffee down, if not out of my life but Mondays call for coffee, period.

1 stevia packet and some unsweetened almond milk. Oh so good! I paired it with this for breakfast.

Times this by 2....and a side of egg whites (about 2). I would show you the small bowl of egg whites that I ate but they don't photograph well :P

After breakfast I worked like a mad women for two hours and then headed over to the gym. My knee is bothering me today so I am focusing on my arms and abs today. I don't want to push it and be out of commission for the rest of the week. So no lower body for me today. After 50 minutes of lifting weights I came back to the office for this!

What's that chopped up in my salad you ask? Well, I got a surprise from the people at Quorn! I was delighted to see a new product to try from them. As you already know I am a fan of all of their products so I couldn't wait to try this new "burger" out for my lunches this week. I decided that I would go with a "Turkey" burger salad. I have one thing to say about these. LOVE AT FIRST BITE!
Calories
90
Protein
10g
Carbohydrate
6g
Fat
4.0g

www.quorn.com

Go there for the best foe meat products that are on the market. In my opinion I think that they are fantastic! Everything about these burgers are perfect for me. High protein, low carbs and calories and you have yourself the perfect base for a great meal. This burger really kept me full for a long time.

Quorn™ is the brand name of a premium line of all-natural, meat-free frozen foods. The Quorn brand has been sold in the UK since 1985, and since that time has become the #1 retail brand of meat-free foods in the world! And since its US launch in 2002, Quorn products have become the best-selling frozen meat-free brand in natural food stores*! Quorn products deliver great taste, fantastic quality and a wide variety of items to meet the demands of on-the-go lifestyles. You can depend on Quorn products to always be meat-free and soy-free. There are believed to be over 600,000 varieties of fungi in the world, some of which are the most sought after foods like varieties of mushrooms, truffles and morels. The principal ingredient in all Quorn products is mycoprotein (“myco” is Greek for “fungi”). The mycoprotein comes from Fusarium venenatum, which was originally discovered growing in a field in Buckinghamshire, England. In the late 1960s, initial product development began, soon recognizing mycoprotein’s potential as an efficient and nutritious protein source. Try Quorn products for yourself – it might just surprise you…

I have to say that so far this is my all time favorite. I do love the chicken patties with a passion but these are really great. I am going to make a sandwich with it tomorrow and boy is it going to be great. A+ from me!!!

After lunch I continued to work and about two hours later it was snack time for me again.

One raw bell pepper and a hand full of almonds. Probably the most random snack I have had in a while, I will admit though that I did like it!

I was almost done for the day when of course things came out of the wood work. I managed to get done with work right on time and off I ran. I wanted to get out of there desperately today. One more day and I have off! This is going to be a great break in the middle of the week for me.

When I got home I went for a lovely walk. I came back to the house and stretched. After about a hour of stretching and yoga I decided that dinner needed to be had. So I went into the kitchen for my newest soup! I am addicted to soup people. I am sure that you will all get sick of seeing it on my plate but I have to say. The way that I make soup is a MEAL and it is good. This evening's soup is creamy potato!

Creamy potato soup with chopped chicken, roasted veggies, chives and topped with cheese. This was a THICK soup that filled me up big time. I had a couple pieces of dark chocolate and that was that. A cup of hot tea was all that I had at the end of the night.

This is my review and my food for my week. I have to say, it is a another goo one! Yummo!

-Heather

It's Friday!

The leaves are changing and it is GORGEOUS here in Georgia. This morning I woke up a hour early and decided that I would do some yoga. I did a twisting series and boy did my back need it. In the morning there are times that I feel really sore and stretching is just what I need!

After my yoga session I got ready and ran out the door. I need to remember that I need to start warming up my car before leaving the house. It was cold this morning and I had to sit in my car for a good 5 minutes before being able to pull out of the drive way.
By the time I got into work I knew one thing...

COFFEE! I have been drinking hot tea in the morning the last few days but I must say...It just isn't the same. This morning I didn't have any almond milk so I went for real cream. Yes, even I indulge at times (a lot actually!). It was just what I needed this morning to get me up and going. I needed a big cup of coffee to get me through my voice mails, emails and errands. Today is going to fly by...I can feel it.

This morning along with my coffee I ate a nutridel pecan flavored cookie. It was heavenly!

I liked the Pecan better than the Almond, I am sad that I have no more :(

I love these things!

After a couple of hours I needed my "real" breakfast! I just pop something in my mouth first thing to get my metabolism going and then in a few hours tackle my breakfast. It is necessary for me.

This morning was the same as all week. Sort of. 4 egg whites with my favorite! 2 slices of sprouted Ezekiel bread with chopped banana, Pb2 and Agave. Ok, so this is a HUGE breakfast. My breakfasts are getting bigger and bigger these days. I should just eat one slice of toast but for some reason I just need two. Oh well. It could always be worse. I am in need of some carbs today and it is going to fuel my weight lifting workout today. I am lifting for 50 minutes while on my lunch break. When I get back this will be had:


Today must be a day of BIG eats. I went for it this afternoon. Fresh salad greens and spinach from the garden, grilled chicken, mango and avocado. WOW! I also had a whole raw bell pepper, sliced tomato and cucumber dipped in mustard about a hour after this. I am a freak! I have been eating a TON today!

I did some errands and ran all over town for my boss. That is ok by me though....It makes the day go by MUCH faster. I will be sure to go home after work and go for a nice 45 minute walk and then munch on a snack here and there. I will be going out to dinner with my friend John which I haven't seen in weeks. Sushi it is tonight. Sorry no pictures but I plan on having a seaweed salad, some tuna and BEER. Yes, I do plan on having a few beers tonight. I haven't had a drink all week and I want a beer. Chinese and Thai beers are my favorite. Sake is what I usually have but I would much rather a beer tonight. I am going to aim for a really nice relaxing weekend tonight. I think that I am going to try to get outside as much as I can this weekend. I hope that you do too! I will have some great things to talk about next week so get ready for a great week of blogging!
See you on the flip side!

-Heather