Sweet Seafood on my Mind

Seafood, seafood, seafood love. I don't typically eat seafood as much as I have lately, simply because of the cost not because I don't love it, but, since I am caring for my Gma, I decided to splurge on her some.

Shrimp is her favorite! So one meal I made her this pasta recipe I found on Pinterest. I did forget the bread crumbs because I had run out but of course I used whole wheat pasta. I always make sure I add salt when the pasta is cooking so it isn't so blah. While the pasta was cooking, I cooked up the shrimp in olive oil and little bit of lemon juice with some fresh herbs from the garden and diced up garlic.

Final master piece w/ a nice little side salad

Another meal I prepared was my salmon recipe. I took a couple other salmon recipes and collabrated something into my own. I call it - Lemon & Herb Salmon, and baked in foil! 

My recipe:
- 1 pound of salmon (that's enough for 4 girl size portions)
- Lemon slices
- Diced up fresh herbs from my mom's garden. I used thyme, basil, oregano, and rosemary - any fresh or dried herbs will do
- Mix diced up garlic and herbs in olive oil - don't make it too oily so add little at time until right consistency
- Layer in this order: foil, lemon slices, salmon, olive and oil herb mix, lemon slices, and squeeze a little lemon juice on top
- Wrap up in foil, place on baking sheet, then bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes (all depends on size of salmon you buy)
- Then eat and enjoy!

Before going into the oven

Done Baking!

Eat and Enjoy! 

Until next time, good vibes to you!

I'm not on a diet, I eat healthy.

I am caring for my 90-year old grandma for the next week, she needs 24 hour care so I realized I will be having a lot of time on my hands.  I want to make the best out of the situation so I have decided to make the the next week to work on my stretching, meditation, and exercising. I have the time, so why not? Plus I want to be healthy. Ever since starting this journey, I have gotten nothing but happier the healthier I have become. And since I obviously can't go running, I need to burn some energy some how to keep me relaxed and feeling good.

This morning we had some banana bread I made last night - Pinterest inspired of course.  I used whole wheat flour verse white flour. Regular white flour has been processed so many times that it truly has no nutrients left in them, along with all the chemicals used to process the flour really isn't that great for your body. So basically it's a waste to your body, so why even put it in? Yes, the flour is obviously different thats why you can easily train your body to start to like it.  For example, if it needs 2 cups flour, do 1 1/2 cups regular flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, then next time do 1 cup regular flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour and so forth. Also, instead of using sugar and brown sugar like most recipes, I used honey and applesauce. Oh and we also had blueberries and some melon with our slice of bread, forgot to take a picture of that, oopsies!

Here's the blog for the recipe for the Banana Bread.

Mine obviously didn't come out as pretty as her picture, but it sure did come out just as delisous - and not dry at all!

Next, comes the fitness routines today. I will be working on abs, this routine I found on pinterest is amazing! Plus I love doing planks and bicycle crunches. She calls it the Itty Bitty Tummy Workout, how stinkin' cute is that name?! And I will be doing squats, lunges, and push ups through out the day.

Keep your good vibes going all day!

Where does one start blogging?

Where does one start with blogging? Frankly, I do not have the slightest idea.  I do know why I decided to start a blog though. Simple, I want to be me. I want to say what I want to say, brag about what I want to brag about, and actually give my opinions... that solely relates to food - and probably some fitness too. I hope my healthy love affair with food will some day inspire someone or help someone.

A little background, growing up I had always had a complex with food - the complex being I could never seem to quench any cravings, so I engorged in whatever it was I was craving - primarily being salty stuff.  Good Lord, give me a bag of potato chips, pop corn, or butter noodles and I thought I had died and gon' to heaven. And Taco Bell, on the menu at least two or three times a week. 

To top if off, I was thee pickiest eater growing up.  My mom would pay me to try new foods, and of course I did, I wanted that flippin' dollar.  I didn't start to venture out with my food preferences until I moved out when I was 19. I have slowly tried new foods, and started cooking with new foods. However, it wasn't until this past year where my true love of food has come out. 

Eleven months ago, I was 40 pounds heavier than I am today. My incredible boyfriend, David, and I went to Maui in the end of September. Once I started looking at the pictures from the trip and the previous few months, I realized how large I had gotten. When I saw my arms - that was my wake up call. I decided I wanted to go from 164 to 149. Just fifteen pounds - great! But I didn't end up losing just fifteen pounds, I ended up losing 40 pounds - super great!! 

I have been extremely lucky in life when it comes to having incredible bosses who have turned into some of the most inspiring people I have met. The Belhassan family are my fitness guru's, my accountability partners, and gently gave me tough love. My gratitude runs deeps towards them. Maria and my Mom taught me how to cook healthy and healthy alternatives to unhealthy ingredients, along with pinterest too!

I started out by being on a 1,200 calorie day, so I literally counted every calorie I consumed, and stopped eating carbs. There are tons of Apps. to help you, the one I used was Calorie Counter. After about four months or so, I trusted myself enough to stop using it. I studied a lot about food, best foods for the body, best times to eat, etc. I always allowed cheat days, it was from Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning - I never would go to overboard because the few times I did, I felt so sick because it was shock of unhealthiness to my body. I also quit drinking - yes I would still have a glass of wine here and there though. Next, I started running just four months ago. I hated every single second in the beginning, but I stuck to it, and now I actually enjoy running. I also have incorporated some carbs here and there back into my diet.

Anyways, so long story short, through this journey it created this obsession I have now to be healthy and eat healthy. I guess I ended up like a tree hugger just like my Mama after all - all those dollar bills paid off after all ;)