Friday, June 29, 2012

Denise's Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette


Simple Balsamic Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS

1/4cup balsamic vinegar
2teaspoons dark brown sugar, optional*
1tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2teaspoon salt
1/2teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4cup olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1.Beat the vinegar in a bowl with the optional sugar, garlic, salt and pepper until sugar and salt dissolves. Then beat in the oil by droplets, whisking constantly. (Or place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake to combine.) Taste and adjust the seasonings.
2.If not using dressing right away, cover and refrigerate, whisking or shaking again before use.
3.*If using a good quality balsamic vinegar you should not need the sugar, but if using a lesser quality you might want the sugar to round out the dressing.

Krista's Quinoa & Black Beans

Quinoa and Black Beans


Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels-(opt)
  • 1 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Cut up tomato cubes
  • Avocado 

Directions

  1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
  2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
  3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.
  4. Add cut of pieces of avocado and tomato to quinoa.

Niki's Picnic Salad


Picnic Salad

2 whole wheat pita breads
1 small cucumber
12 small tomatoes (quartered)
1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)
1 cup feta cheese (cut into chunks)
Dressing
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
 
cut along one side of each peta bread. Toast on grill until both sides are golden and crisp. Slice cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. chop cucumber into bite-size pieces. Put cucumber, tomato, and onion into a salad bowl. cut cooled pita into small pieces and add to bowl. Put olive oil, lemon juice, and mustard into a clean jar. Put lid on and shake until mixed well. Pour over salad and mix until coated. scatter with the feta cheese and serve. Serves 4.

Amy's Pea & Barley Salad


2c water
1c barley
21/2 c. fresh or frozen shelled peas
1/2c fresh parsley
1/4c diced red onion
2Tbs olive oil
2Tbs lemon juice
3/4tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper
Mint to taste (optional)
 
Bring water to a boil in a medium sauce pan.  Add barley and cover.  If using quick-cooking barley, cook 10-15 minutes, if using pearled barley cook 40-50 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand, covered for 5 minutes.  If using frozen peas, place in strainer and rise under warm water.  Rinse barley under cool water and put in large bowl.  Add peas, parley, onion, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Toss to combine.  Serves 6

Bri's Favorite Breakfast Burrito


You cook 3 egg whites, then add 1/4 a cup of black beans to the skillet, then cut up one 1oz piece of ham, and add in 1 serving of cooked brocoli. cook it all together then put it on a whole wheat tortilla and serve with salsa. Its very fast and yummy and only about 200 calories. One of my personal faves!

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Teams!

I coerced my friend to join us. So there are officially 22 of us getting fit & having fun for the next 5 weeks! Which makes 11 teams. And here they are, in no particular order . . .

Team 1: Niccole & Bri
Team 2: Emily & Diane
Team 3: Courtney & Jane
Team 4: Jan & Judy
Team 5: Kristie & Amelia
Team 6: Leslie & Andrea
Team 7: Amy & Cassie
Team 8: Erin & Krista
Team 9: Melinda & Morgan
Team 10: Jana & Erica
Team 11: Niki & Denise

Be sure to pick a team name & let me know what it is before Tuesday!

Erin's Yummy Green Smothie

Erin enjoys this green smoothie most mornings for breakfast.


First, in your blender, combine 1 cup cold water, a handful or two of spinach, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and a spoonful of 100% frozen orange juice concentrate. then, add 1-2 cups frozen fruit (i buy the large bags of frozen fruit at sam's club (it's the mango, strawberry, peach and pinapple mix). i also add a tablespoon of flax oil (i buy a large bottle from dave's nutrition in the refrigerated section but you can also get it at sunflower market) but this is optional. pour it all into a large glass, add a straw and enjoy!

Melinda's Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa Verde

This is Melinda's new favorite. And they look delicious!

Blog: A Bountiful Kitchen 
Post: Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa Verde 

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Calendar Tasks - Week 1

Here are the calendar tasks for week 1 -

* Pay your $25 participation fee {you can mail it me or hand deliver to either Erica or Kristie}.
* Vote on whether to restructure the earnings or not. Do we include a 4th and 5th place & spread the wealth around? Or leave it be and the top, top performers get it all? Leave a comment or send me an email with you vote.
* email me a healthy recipe to share with the group - I'll post them here on the blog.
* email the group a little bit about yourself & what your goal for F cubed is.
* Get a pedicure, paint your toes or soak your tootsies.
* Do something kind for a friend, family member or stranger.
* Choose a Team name & send it to me {once teams are officially assigned. ;)}.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

F Cubed Info & Intro


Like everything in life, you'll get out of Fun & Fit in 5 what you put into it!

The Fun & Fit in Five Program {F3 or F cubed} will run for five weeks– beginning Wednesday June 27th and ending Wednesday August 1st {weigh-in in the am & you’re done}. Teams of two, with each team selecting a team name. Each participant will be provided tracking sheets to record good food points, bad food minus points, exercise points, daily calendar challenge points, after 9 P.M. minus points, water points, 5+ fruit & veggie points, personal prayer points, personal scripture study points, and lost pound points.  Weigh-ins?  Weigh yourself at home every Tuesday night or Wednesday morning {mornings usually have the lowest number J }. We’ll use the Honor System of course! 

The weeks will run from Wednesday to Tuesday.  Total points need to be emailed to Erica every Wednesday by 2 pm. Calendar tasks & weekly updates will be posted on the blog: funandfitinfive.blogspot.com by Wednesday evening.

On Wednesday morning, June 27th, you’ll weigh yourself for your starting weight.  Lost pounds will be tracked starting the following Wednesday {or Tuesday night} on a weekly basis, through to the fifth week.  For each pound lost, ten points are earned.  In addition to lost pound points, eighty five more points can be earned per day by following all other opportunities for points. 
Remember this will be a team effort.  Please pass the word about this fun new program of health and happiness … the more people who know about it, the more teams there will be, and the more fun we will have!! 

To give us all a little more incentive & keep us committed, each participant
will ante-up $25 to put in the kitty.
The Winning teams will get the CASH!

1st place – 60%
2nd place – 30%
top individual {if not in top 2 teams} 10%
OR
3rd place – 10%

Rules:


µProgram runs for five weeks - Beginning Wed. June 27th & ending August 1st {this is just the weigh-in day}

µ Track points daily on point tracking sheets.  We will go from Wednesday morning to Tuesday evening each week.  Total your points and email them to me. I’ll post the point totals for the teams, so everyone can see how we’re all doing.

µ Good Food Points – See included sheet.  Add one point for each good food eaten, up to 10 points a day. Limit of 3 good food points for whole wheat food items per day.

µ Bad Food Points – See included sheet.  Subtract 2 points for every bad food eaten.  NO MAX! L

µ Exercise Points: 15-30 min. = 10 points, 31-45 min. = 15 points, 46-60 min. = 20 points, 20 points MAX per day.  Exercise can be done in segments (e.g. 15 min. in the morning, 15 min. after work, etc.). NO exercise points on Sundays. Total of 5 exercise days each week, so you can pick another day to have off.


µ Daily Calendar – Earn 5 points by following the daily calendar; these can be done at any point during the week. You can do all of them in one day, one a day or any combo you can think of.  Check the Blog for these.

µAfter 9 PM Points – Earn 5 points if you eat NOTHING after 9 p.m. {With Summer and all, I decided to push the time back a smidge, with late BBQ’s, Reunions and all}.You can still drink water after 9 without any point loss.

µWater Points – Earn 10 points for drinking water every day {56 oz. weeks 1 & 2, 64 oz. weeks 3 & 4}. For week 5 there will be a minimum of 64 oz, but the goal is to drink ½ you weight in ounces. If at any point you reach that goal, then stick with that number! No need to drown yourself.  Example: if you weigh 120 lbs, your goal will be 60 oz of water. 150 lbs = 75 oz.  180 = 90 oz. and so on. I know it’s a lot, but it really does help your body perform at it’s best!

µ 5+ Fruits & Vegetables – Earn 10 points if you eat a combined total of 5 fruits and vegetables – count the V’s and F’s from the good food box. These count for both good foods and fruits and veggies – double bonus. Yay! {You’ll lose more weight if one is an apple, doesn’t matter about the size.  Also, of the five, let only one be an apple}

µ Personal Prayer Points – There is a special relationship between your body and your spirit.  Strengthen your spirit as you strengthen your body.  5 points for morning prayers & 5 points for evening prayers.  {Family, dinner prayer or Sacrament prayers not included, it has to be personal!}

µ Daily Scripture Study Points – 1-10 min = 5 points, 11-20 min = 10 points & 21-30 min = 15 points for daily scripture study.  Now’s the chance to do reading for next week’s Sunday School and Relief Society lessons, or for personal scripture study you’d like to do.

µ Weigh In – Weigh yourself at home at the end of every week {Tuesday night, or best – Wednesday a.m. as soon as you get up} and give yourself 10 points for every pound lost.  Give 5 points for a ½ pound! J

µ Total your points & email them to me by noon. Then check funandfitinfive.blogspot.com for the weekly results!

Don’t get confused by the exercise column on the tracking sheet. Since you get to choose your exercise “off day”, every day but Sunday has 20 points possible. But the total points for the week only includes 5 days worth of exercise points.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Friday, June 22, 2012

Welcome to Fun & Fit in Five!

Join us on a five week journey to establish some healthy habits, lose some weight and win some cash! Starting on June 27th and concluding July 31st, we'll spend 5 fun weeks getting fit & feeling fabulous.